"When he was on the faculty at Yale, Henri Nouwen converted a walk-in clothes closet into a prayer closet. 'The simple fact that I'm in the closet means I'm praying,' he said. 'I might have a thousand things to think about while I'm in there, but the fact that I'm sitting in the this physical place means I'm praying. I force myself to stay there for fifteen minutes. I do my best to center my mind and clear it of distracting thoughts and get down to prayer, but if after fifteen minutes I haven't been entirely successful, I say, "Lord this was my prayer, even all this confusion. Now I'm going back to the world" ' ". (Yancey, 2007, Prayer)
I love this quote from Nouwen because I think it hits home with each of us, at least those of us who struggle, at times, with prayer. Do we give God space to speak? Do we step into a quiet place (in heart, mind, and location) in order to be with God? These are good questions, but they don't necessarily mean "results" (whatever results in prayer means).
5 year old Eduardo can teach us a lot about prayer. He just did it. Whenever and wherever he was.The best part about Nouwen's explanation of his prayer time is that he offers up his confusion as prayer.
Sometimes I hear people saying that their thoughts in prayer seem to easily wander. They say that distraction in prayer runs wild. While I think there is something to say for being focused and setting our mind on Christ while praying, I also think there is something to say for letting your mind and thoughts wander. This may well be where God is taking you (obviously, there are holes in the argument if your thoughts are taking you to crazy places).
But, why not offer these "thoughts" as prayers. Learn to pray through your thoughts. Learn to let the "mess in your mind" be a sacrifice to God.
Don't let distraction lure you away from the chance to surrender that distraction as a prayer.
Are you confused yet? Then pray...confused.
5 comments:
Thank you for this. It is a total struggle of mine. It was a good reminder that God wants our time, even if we are bothered and distracted...He loves us where we are. Thanks again for sharing Kyle.
YES YES YES! Thank you Thank you! I love this post... At what point did we start feeling like prayer always had to look like a business meeting with market shares, annual reports, Risk analysis and profitable outcomes! Sure, sometimes I need to have a business meeting with God... but I'm lacking if my prayer is simply chucked out like an assembly line. I try to give God my reality, not my "prayers"
Thanks for your words man. I really needed to hear that this week.
oh hey bloggggger....
this post is awesome.. you're awesome... thanks for the encouragement :)
-ash
Stitchmo.
Hope you're doing well man! I just got on here, in an attempt to keep my friends and family better informed of what's going on in my life.
We should catch up on the phone sometime shortly.
xoxo
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