Practice

Several years ago, my husband started spending a few minutes every day with a hymnal, plunking out notes. I recently realized that he now makes music as a result of his practice. I am far less diligent. My husband showed me through his example that practice, over time, yields results. No matter what area we might wish to become more skilled in, practice is the transforming ingredient.

We need to practice praying, too. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing” (NRSV). We are all busy, and praying without ceasing sounds impossible. It’s easy to come to God with a laundry list of things that we think need God's attention. It’s easy to cry out to God when we are in trouble and our need is urgent. It is not as easy to come to God with no agenda, simply because we want to be in God’s presence. But I think that is the “pray without ceasing” kind of prayer. Can practice make the impossible possible?

If we want to grow close to God, we need to practice doing the impossible, and we have to trust God for the results. A long time ago, Brother Lawrence wrote a short book on how to practice this kind of prayer. His book, The Practice of the Presence of God, was published in 1693 and is still in print.  

Romans 12:2 says, we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Our souls find rest when we come to God with no agenda, simply seeking to be with God. Praising God, thanking God, and thinking about God’s character are good places to start our prayer practice.  

You can find more of Jane’s thoughts at www.FaithFamilyAndFiction.com.