What Prayer Isn't

“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

Many of us spend our prayer time stewing in worried thought. We anxiously examine our problems, rearrange them in different ways, and try to come up with our own solutions that we then suggest to God. We become more absorbed in our troubles than we are in God. This is not prayer.

Prayer is not a list of requests. It isn’t repeating a bunch of words while our minds or hearts are occupied elsewhere. It isn’t formulaic. It is not about getting what you want.  

"To pray, I think, does not mean to think about God in contrast to thinking about other things, or to spend time with God instead of spending time with other people. Rather, it means to think and live in the presence of God." ‪(Henri Nouwen, Clowning in Rome)

Prayer requires us to be vulnerable. We have to relinquish our ego and be completely honest with ourselves. Oftentimes we feel useless and helpless as we express our true feelings in prayer. We remain in God’s presence, surrendered, listening, absorbing. Prayer allows us to open up and be available to God. Eventually our minds and our hearts become aligned with God as we become infused by His Spirit. Then we shall experience the peace that transcends all human understanding.   

Lord, we shall hand over all our anxious thoughts to you. We shall tell you our needs and thank you for all that you have done and all that you are about to do. May our minds and hearts be absorbed in Your purpose as we live in your presence and experience your peace.  

One Bad Decision

“A God-loyal life keeps you on track;  sin dumps the wicked in the ditch.” (Proverbs 13:6 MSG)

I have to restrain myself from checking text messages while I’m driving. I know that looking at my phone while driving could cause an accident. I could hurt myself or others with my carelessness. Taking my eyes off the road for one moment could lead to dire consequences, but it takes continuous focus to stay safe.

Every day we are faced with hundreds of choices. Some of them may seem trivial and not worth much thought. Inattention can lead to destruction. Yielding to temptation even once can change the trajectory of one’s life. One moment of weakness can lead to missed opportunities, relapses in addictions, permanent injuries, damaged reputations, broken marriages, harmful relationships,  or financial ruin.

One bad decision may wreck your life, but it takes a series of good choices to keep you on track. Moment by moment, we have to restrain ourselves from minor distractions. Day after day, we must resist major temptations. And no matter how much self-control and discipline we have, we may eventually slip up and make mistakes. This is why we need grace. We cannot keep ourselves on track by our own merit, but we can depend on God to do so. Godliness allows us to live with integrity, to intentionally make good choices over and over. Independent of God, we fall prey to our weaknesses and end up in the ditch.

The Nonconformist

“So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:15-16 NIV)

Religion is often used as a means to herd people and maintain social order. Members often follow a set of regulations and conform to certain rules of conduct. Uniformity is encouraged. Rebels are seen as troublemakers.

Jesus was a nonconformist. He didn’t follow a conventional Jewish lifestyle. He was unconcerned about supporting himself, settling down and starting a family of his own, taking care of his aging mother, or planning for retirement. He associated with outcasts and helped people on the Sabbath. Jesus was disruptive. He called people out on their hypocrisy, criticized social norms, and denounced established religious practices. Yet, Jesus was also compassionate. He reached out to those who were marginalized, spoke to them, fed them, and healed them. Jesus rebelled against convention--not to assert His individuality, but to fully express God’s will.

Jesus cares about others--but NOT about how others perceive Him. Even though He loves us, He will not hesitate to hurt our feelings when necessary.

I pray that we may all emulate Jesus--be able to love others without caring about what they think of us, be willing to be unpopular, and be confrontational when necessary.

Supernatural Grace

“Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.” (Romans 12:12 MSG)

How can we prevent burnout? How do we keep ourselves fueled when we are continually being drained? I have tried the usual recommendations of exercise, getting enough sleep, eating healthfully, finding  support, setting boundaries, taking breaks, doing something creative, etc. All of these techniques can delay burnout to a certain extent. Unfortunately, we cannot keep ourselves going indefinitely on our own. The world drains us faster than we can replenish ourselves.

Once we realize that we have run out of steam, there are two options: we can either quit, or we can depend on God. When we have exhausted our natural resources and talents, we are ready for the supernatural. We learn to  look expectantly upon God, patiently waiting, transfixed in prayer. Supernatural grace plugs up the holes and pours new energy and wisdom into us. This is the only sustainable way to stay encouraged and motivated when the world is crumbling around us.

Lord, grant us supernatural grace so that we can stay hopeful, patient, and faithful no matter what our circumstances.

Drugged by Grief

"He got up from prayer, went back to the disciples and found them asleep, drugged by grief. " (Luke 22:45 MSG)

When you are overwhelmed with sadness, all you want to do is numb the pain. It is difficult to focus on anything, especially prayer. We show up at God’s doorstep with our grief. We know He has the power to solve our issues. Yet, He delays. This is frustrating!

When the sufferer is unable to pray effectively, this role may fall on his/her loved ones. Let’s say one of your close friends overdosed on a harmful drug.  Would you not take them to the ER--even if you knew there would be a long wait? Those who are overwhelmed by grief may feel like giving up. Yet, they need divine attention. They may not get immediate relief. Their treatment may include even more discomfort and pain. When our loved ones are suffering, it is our job to pray--to take them to God, to wait, to not give up.

Lord, enable us to continue to pray even when we are drugged by grief.

Offerings

“Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.” (Psalm 141:2 NLT)

We have much to offer to this world--our talents, our sparkling personalities, our intellect, our time, our energy, etc. We spend much of our lives trading in what we have for what we want in return--love, validation, respect, acquisitions, comfort, security, etc.

What can we offer God? What do we want in return?

We tend to present God with the same things we peddle to the world. This is equivalent to dropping Monopoly money in the church basket. We may feel like we donated something, and those around us may think we have contributed--but this currency is useless to God.    

All we truly have to offer is helplessness. We have nothing to barter. We are beggars, not businessmen. All we can do is surrender our will and extend our arms in supplication. We may not get exactly what we want. Beggars can’t be choosers. We accept whatever we are given with gratitude. We continue to wait in humility, submitting to God’s charity.

Lord, all we have to offer are helpless prayers. We plead that you will accept our requests as we surrender our will to you.

My Rabbi

“She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means "Teacher".)” (John 20:16 NIV)

A rabbi is a Jewish scholar and teacher. But the term is used colloquially to mean an older, wiser person who fulfills the role of patron, mentor, and advisor to others. When I am anxious or confused, I tend to talk to my husband, my sister, or my friends. They rarely have solutions to my problems; mostly, they just listen. I wish I had a rabbi--someone who would counsel me, look out for me, and guide me.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

When I am talking to God, I am reluctant to bring up stuff that is bothering me. My earthly problems seem petty, and I feel like my prayers should be spiritual. I forget that the Lord is my master, my teacher, my rabbi. Instead of dumping my worries on fellow human beings, I  can unload them at God’s feet. When I am anxious, I can go to Him for peace. When I’m unsure of how to proceed, I can ask Him for advice.

Rabboni, today I am upset about a lot of things. All the suffering and injustice in this world is getting to me. I don’t know what to do. I’m laying it all out in front of you. Please guide my thoughts, my emotions, and my actions.