What Does Your Prayer Life Look Life?

Mine often looks like the girl in the photo above. I like to get away from distractions, out in the woods preferably, and have alone time with God. When I am unable to do that, I look for quiet, uninterrupted time such as sitting outside at night and praying as I look up at the stars.

In those times when I awake at some unreasonably early hour–or God wakes me up at such an hour–I go somewhere where I will not disturb Karen, and spend that rich, wonderful uninterrupted time when all the rest of the world is still asleep. (There is something about it, you know …)

And when I cannot get those (which is more often than I would prefer), I keep an ongoing, running conversation open with God–sometimes in my thoughts and sometimes out loud. If He cannot be a part of everything I do, say, or think, then there is something I am doing, saying, or thinking that I shouldn’t.

Once when Jesus was praying in private, and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:18-20 NIV)

As I read today’s Scripture passage, I thought about how Jesus was praying. It says He was praying in private. OK … Did you notice that He was simultaneously carrying on a conversation with His disciples? Not exactly the reverent, knees bowed, hands folded posture we typically think of, is it? And I am confident that He did not have the sorrowful expression on His face that old paintings often depict. Nor do I expect He had the “holy” looking one. Those really annoy me, FYI.

I doubt He was speaking in His most “ministerial“, religious-sounding voice, saying, “My dearest heavenly Faaa-thaaa …” No, I cannot see it. They were having a good conversation as they prayed, and Jesus used it as a teaching moment. That I like.

We should take a lesson from this, drop the formalities, and just talk to God. Have a conversation. Laugh! Enjoy the sunset together. When I am sitting outside in the Southern summer heat, and mosquitoes decide I am their buffet, I might say, “Lord, did you HAVE to make those annoying, blood-sucking parasites?” And we have a chuckle. Or about an especially beautiful cloud formation, I might compliment Him. I always enjoy thanking Him for what He does.

When Karen and I have what I would call “deep” or intense prayer times, we talk, pray, talk, pray; we go in and out talking about what we are praying, then praying. And we do not say, “Ow-wah deah heavenly Faaa-thaaa …” It is very informal, though always respectful and reverent (in our kind of way). With Karen, it is typically very upbeat as she is being her typical happy self. Mine is a little (ok, a lot) more subdued to serious–but that is just my personality.

So, what about your prayer time? How do you manage it? May I make a few suggestions? Make it personal, tailored to your personality and interaction “style” with Him. Be direct. Be authentic. Include quiet time to listen in your spirit for His response. If you do not “hear” anything, be confident that you will in time, in the way He chooses to respond.

And always, and I do mean ALWAYS, be open and honest. No facades. No behaviors or words to make an impression. You cannot get away with that with Him anyway, so do not insult Him by trying. Be mindful that He knows your thoughts before you think them, so just be real.

However you do it, just do it. Schedule time to pray. What gets scheduled gets done. Spontaneous prayer is great and should be a regular part of your prayer life, but make time for intentional prayer. Scheduling it does not make it any less significant. Actually, it may make it more so.

In the next few minutes, as soon as you close this message, put a prayer time on your schedule. OK? Will you do that? And perhaps schedule some time just to be alone with Him. Go to a park, to the woods, to wherever you are comfortable and safe spending such time. Don’t talk so much. Just be. And listen. Some of my best prayer times have been when I kept my mouth closed and my spiritual ears open. Just a thought.