So what is this praying nonsense all about?..... I hear you ask.
For those of you reading who don't have any Christian experience and even those who do, you will sometimes find Christians say to you, "I'll be praying for you", or "Why don't you pray about it?" - and you might wonder….what the heck are they on about??
Well, let me try and explain my understanding at least.
Praying is just connecting and interacting with God. Most commonly prayer is referred to as speaking to God either in your head or out loud, but actually praying can be anytime that you are in touch with God. Here are some examples:
+ Concentration on breathing
+ Enjoying the sun on your face
+ Seeing someone help an old person carry their shopping and being pleased that you saw it happen
+ Mourning the death of someone you love
+ Being moved to tears by an injustice and wondering why it was ever allowed to happen
+ Being in Silence
+ Eating a great meal with friends
And of course, the classic direct speaking to God through conversational prayer.
So when someone says "I'll pray for you", what they're actually saying is that they will bring your situation to God, they will think of you, try to empathise with you and try to feel what it is you might be going through.
They will ask God to be with you. God is a comforter, he is strength and a constant to hold on to, but he celebrates with us, he enjoys seeing us succeed and prosper.
Have a look at the list up there, how many of these do you do already?
Sorry to break it to you, you pray.
You might not believe in 'God' or 'Christianity' or 'Spirituality', but at some point or another, you've had a deep thought about something, you've experienced a deep understanding or you've had a relationship with someone at a level where you feel connected with them. You might call it humanism, you might call it connection, you might call it Xi, you might call it mindfulness.
You might be right!
I think that all of these things are God.
And by experiencing them, I believe you are praying.
23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
Acts 17:23
The best thing about prayer is that God answers. Yes, really.
Here are some ways that God answers prayer:
+ Intuition
+ Conscience
+ Satisfaction
+ "It just felt right…."
+ Coincidence (I don't believe in coincidence - it's God speaking to me!)
+ Audible sounds/words (yes that does seem a bit supernatural - but it happens!)
+ Other people telling you things that relate to a situation you're dealing with
+ Testing the water to find something works……or doesn't work
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Psalm 37:4 NLT
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Jeremiah 29:13 NLT
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8 NIV
Pray when you are happy, pray when you are sad, pray when you are upset, pray when you have been hurt, pray when you are excited, pray when you are in need. God will answer. Always.
