I have always struggled with the concept of prayer. When I was a child my prayer life was very simplistic--a conversation with God to help me or to ask for some request for myself or others. I have tried to move beyond that, but I have not had a whole lot of luck over the past 40 years.
About 12 years ago, Linda, who was a member of FormerChurch who had just completed a spiritual direction certification led a women's group 6 week class on what prayer practices were most compatable with your personality type. I found this class to be very helpful and mind-expanding--however it still didn't help someone who fights a routine become ritualistic in their prayer practice. I learned about Lecto Divina, Labrynths, prayer beads and rosaries, etc. But I never developed a routine.
I just took Beliefnet's quiz on prayer and personality. It was quick and fun, but didn't give me much insight or a refresher to those types of prayer that I was introduced to during that Prayer and Personality workshop series that Linda led.
I'm still a seeker when it comes to communicating with God. I suspect this is because I am still trying to define what God means to me--so without that understanding, it becomes hard to communicate!
3 comments:
I have many of the same issues that you do on this subject.
Have you ever wondered if maybe it's not about YOU, but about GOD?
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus HIMSELF prayed, "Not MY will, but YOURS be done." Jesus, as both human and divine, was constantly unified with the Father and the Spirit...His was always a prayer of unity, and even as He faced the sin of the world, (yours, mine, everyone who had gone before and will come after us)...asked to take a back seat.
Humility is everything. God is now who we define him to be. He is who IS. We are called to unite ourselves to HIS will...not the other way around.
Trust God...always trust God. He did not not call you into being to leave you hanging. He loves you more than you know, and you don't need to define him...he already defined YOU.
God bless you.
Correction, sorry, that's supposed to say that God is NOT who we define Him to be...he is who IS.
I hate typos. :-P
Trust God...not typos!
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