What does your prayer life look like in this season of life? How, specifically, do you pray each day?
As a mom with small kids and a church to help lead, I will confess that my prayer life is often rushed. I pray throughout the day, squeezing it in when I can. I pray when I wake up, I pray when I am driving, I pray at meals, I pray when someone comes to mind, and I pray as I fall asleep. Because of this rhythm, my prayer life is often hurried. And when I do pray, I am doing the majority of the talking.
This is how many of us pray, especially in hectic seasons of life. God functions as a touchstone throughout our schedule, and there is some good in this practice. It reminds us of the ever-present help we have in Him. However, I have recently become convicted that this practice lacks something important: listening.
I recently heard a podcast describe the strange training regimen of NASA astronauts preparing for space. Because outer space is absolutely silent to a degree that we never experience on earth, astronauts must learn to adjust to it. They do this by spending time in a noiseless chamber where the silence is profound. In fact, the absence of noise is so absolute that you can hear the sound of your own body and its most basic, typically imperceivable, inner workings: the sound of your own breathing, or your heart beating and pumping blood to the rest of your body, the sound of skin sliding over sinew, of bones rubbing against one another—which is about when astronauts start hearing things that aren’t actually there.
This description is almost unsettling to read, but it helps us to grasp the loud volume of our everyday lives. We live in a world where silence, true silence, is difficult to come by. But as these astronauts have discovered, it is only through silence that we can hear things we’ve never heard before.
For many of us, silence is the missing ingredient from our prayer lives. We are unable to hear from God because we haven’t created the environment for it. This is what the author of Ecclesiastes is saying: He counsels, “Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2). This is an invitation to turn our prayer life on its head by listening more to what God has to say, rather than solely bringing petitions and requests before Him.
This can be a challenge, but it is also a word of grace and good news to any of us who do not know what to pray, or those of us who feel pressure to pray in a certain manner. Instead, it reminds us that prayer is not simply about us speaking to God, but God speaking to us. If we will only make the space to listen.
MELISSA GRAVES, you description of your life with your FIL reminds my of our earlier study that there is a season for everything. Yet, I do pray for you to find times of respite so you may enjoy the Lord in the silence even if just briefly.
ANGIE, I love how you took us through the joys and the comforts; the convictions and the corrections of our loving Father in the midst of your prayers. He truly is a gracious God whose love extends into intimacy with his children to show us his glory and to grow us into the holiness he has brought for us through the person and redeeming work of the Son, Jesus Christ! Thanks for sharing the ins and outs of a growing relationship with our Lord. I can say, “me too!”
Solomon is saying to have caution in God’s presence, but I believe the point of this study to remember that Solomon is showing us what all of life looks like “under the sun”- apart from the redemption plan that God brought us through Jesus. In reality, our new way to approach God is found in Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with CONFIDENCE, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” I kinda feel the devos here are missing the point. I love the study books – I’m getting a lot out of this study.
Cont’d… my 92 year old father in law who has lived with us for over 2 years. He has dementia and is nearly deaf and watches tv almost all day. We have provided headphones so that we don’t have to hear his tv at top volume, but he often forgets to use them. Did I mention that The Flintstones, The Three Stooges and CSPAN are his top 3 choices? It has been a challenge for me to handle this lovingly. In my flesh, I feel robbed of my solitude. But then God reminds me that my fil is there because He ordained it and He will provide the way for me to love and serve him in spite of the challenges. My fil was not a believer when he arrived, but he is possibly one now, based on changes we have observed and things he’s said. So, as much as I seek silence, I am also learning to give the interruptions to the Lord and rest in knowing that He will provide what I need when I need it and give the rest to Him. Btw, the house has been strangely quiet during my devotional time just now. Thank You, Jesus ❤️
Love your perspective and your heart for your fil….his TV choices are amusing! Praying silence for you…
Thank you, Margaret ❤️
Several parts of the scripture readings spoke to me today. First was Ecclesiastes 4:18-20, after I read this I was saying so true, so true You are so right God. Verse 20 especially spoke to me, “For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.” The second scripture the that spoke to me was 1 Samuel 15:22, it reminded me of how I needed to obey the Lord God and how this is what the Lord want more than anything else. Luke 12:32 is the third verse that spoke to me today. This verse reminds me even in these times all I have to do is to turn to the Lord when I fear something and He is there for me. He is my Protector, my Rock, my Father and my Savior. I don’t need anyone but God when I and He will take my fears away. Luke 12:34 is the last verse that spoke to me today “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I can’t explain why it just spoke to me.
Sharon Hodde Miller, I am will to take your challenge. I am willing to listen to God. It will be hard but I am going to do it. Father God speak to me I have opened my ears so I might hear and listen closely and my heart so I might receive Your true words.
I wonder if the call to listen also includes the call to obey. How often do I talk about God’s Word but not actually obey what it says?
I am right there with you Jenna!
“God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” Sometimes God’s Word is so explicit it takes my breath. It seems so obvious while reading this passage that it should be me who humbly listens to Him. In actuality, it is me who is talking- offering praise, yes, but truthfully also a good bit of groaning. I love what Angela Sutherland said about how if we sit in silence listening, we may hear an answer to our worries or have space to relinquish them completely. Taylor, I too want to join you in the 10 minute meditation challenge. May the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you Lord.
I have always sought silence in my time with the Lord because I have difficulty concentrating with any noise, no matter whether it’s voices, music or any other man made audio interference. Enter my unsuspecting nearly deaf father in law, who also has dementia