I've been thinking about prayer lately, especially how we often use prayer as our fallback position in a crisis. I think we (all people, everywhere) are probably in crisis most of time, we just don't often realize it. Certainly it is easier to recognize in third world countries, where just trying to survive is an everyday reality. During our times of crisis, when danger has clearly crossed the boundaries of our comfort zone and after we've exercised our options of trying to keep things under control then finally, maybe, we'll turn it over to God. This can be a giant leap on our faith journey. Recognizing we're in crisis and that we're not going to be able to "fix" it, is the first step. But the crucial step is not simply crying "uncle" at all the crap the world can throw at us. It's not just giving up, but giving it up to God. To pray is to hope. To pray is to have faith that God is going to save the world.
Even though prayer has been around me all my life, I feel like a prayer newbie. It did take a crisis I could recognize to propel me along my faith journey and I find that more and more I want to be in prayer, but I still have difficulty finding the time and getting focused. I've found some online resources that I think will help me:
pray-as-you-go - daily audio-guided prayers
sacred space - daily web-guided prayers
Thursday, July 20, 2006
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Hi Kim... I, like you, have been thinking a lot about prayer also. I totally understand what you mean. With everything that we have going on it's often difficult to find -- or make -- the time. Before I got married, which was only almost four years ago, I prayed on a regular basis and schedule even though I had a child. After marriage and two more children it seems that something always interrupts.
I remember when my middle child was born I would continue to set my alarm earlier and he would always beat it. I gave up on that idea. I'm realizing that I need not feel guilty that I always can't pray first thing in the morning. I do my best to acknowledge God first thing and then I pray as my day goes on.
I'm reading a book now by Lisa Whelchel called "Taking care of the me in mommy" and she offers some interesting (for lack of a better word) tips for nurturing the soul.
An-t-way... thanks for the post!
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