new perspectives on prayer

Last night I found myself upset with friendships in my life. Feeling like I had no one else to talk to, I started ranting to God. "God, why does it seem like my friends use me as a fall back? Only my friend when it's convenient for them. God, it hurts!"

Tears welled up in my eyes and I sat there and waited for God to say something. In the silence He gently reminded me that He knows my pain. He knows how I feel because so many times I have done the very same thing to Him.

What a humbling response. As I continued to pray, my anger turned to repentance as God revealed truth to me.

My understanding of prayer is deepening. The whole point of prayer isn't simply talking to God. It's learning God's heart. Seeing what God thinks about things. God speaks, He really does. I'm writing this because even I so often forget it. But hearing God speaks requires us to listen.

The LORD said [to Elijah], "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. - 1 Kings 19: 11-12

God's voice is the gentle whisper. It's easy to drown Him out when we don't want His opinion. Hearing Him requires a willing heart and silence.

"Be still and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10