The life of prayer is the bedrock of the Christian life without it there is little room for growth. This makes sense since any relationship relies on “together time” for its fostering. Still for many a life of prayer is still one of the things that they struggle with the most. Whether it be because of time constraints or other impediments many when put to the point will admit that their prayer life is less than they would like. In terms of what we can take responsibility for on our end of the relationship though carving out time is one of the few things, we can solidly put in our hands. Even if it feels like nothing happens time with the Lord is always time well spent.
In terms of the Encounter, Experience, and Share that we have been discussing Encounters are always outside our realm of control. They are solely gifts from the Lord. Experience is only partly in our control (in terms of setting aside time, turning away from distractions, etc.), but for the most part, is solidly in God’s camp again. He gives us grace in an endless amount of ways, many beyond our comprehension to draw us deeper and deeper into Himself. Even Sharing is almost solely reliant on God, while He may seek our Yes to His will the most effective Sharing is just a natural outgrowth of His life present in us. At the end of the day, our time is one of the greatest gifts we can offer because deep down it is a gift of our very selves.
How then can we make this gift as profitable as possible? While there are a variety of answers to this question one answer, I have found most helpful for a lot of people is to set up their prayer life based on giving of self with time built in for God’s response. There are a variety of acronyms for this type of prayer but my favorite is Pirate Prayer ARRR
Step 1) Acknowledge: When I sit down to pray I am unabashedly honest about where I am at. I’m scared, angry, sad whatever it may be and why. This is helpful not only in learning to successfully communicate and trust God but also for many in coming to terms with who they really are and what it is that they are feeling. Recognizing what we are experiencing is the first step to addressing it.
2) Relate: I Tell God in no uncertain terms what it is that I am experiencing. Hold nothing back and be fearless in its expression. One of the most freeing experiences in life is recognizing that I have just shown the very worst I have to offer and having the other person stay, talk about total security. The undergirding principle of all of Salvation History is God’s faithfulness so it is part of our growth process to come to trust in it.
3) Receive: I dedicate silent time to receiving God’s response to me. 3-5 minutes is a great place to start and is sufficient at the beginning. For many, this is the hardest part because as a society we aren’t used to listening and silence. Each one of us hears God in a different way and we need to learn and hone that way. Fear strikes in that He may not answer but God always answers in His own way. It’s important to remember at this time no cross-talk, give God a chance to say His piece as well.
4) Respond: I take time to respond to what it is that God has just said or not said if that is the case. I remember one of my most powerful experiences in prayer being me telling God “If You don’t have anything to say I don’t know if I trust You” It was like the tearing down of a dam and several years of graces came pouring through.
If you are looking for a way to deepen or start your prayer life this can be a great place to begin. It also sets the groundwork for all healthy relating so you can try it with your kids as well ;)