"Prayer creates that openness where God can give himself to us." (Nouwen, p. 35)
Have you had the frustrating experience of trying to communicate with someone who is too busy talking to hear what you have to say? Maybe they are trying to defend their position, or with excitement or agitation only can see their own perspective. What must God think of our prayers? Oh yes, God is pleased that we bring our concerns, our joys, our struggles in prayer. But as Nouwen points out, prayer is too often for us a monologue where we are the ones who dominate the conversation. He prescribes at least ten minutes of "active listening" each day. Now before you think to yourself, "great, there's one more thing I have to add to my day," pause to think about your day and the priority you give in that day to a growing relationship with God. I don't believe that Nouwen is advocating a prescribed listening regimen for the voice of God as much as he is calling us to the intentional action and attitude of listening for God. To embrace the role of listener in relationship with God is to free yourself to hear God, not just at a prescribed time, but at different times and in different circumstances throughout the day. "Prayer creates that openness where God can give himself to us," Nouwen writes. How would our prayer lives change if we thought of prayer as God giving God's self to us? Perhaps you and I should listen and find out.
JKA
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My prayer life is so chaotic that I often have to ask God to listen and understand even as I ramble. I will try this listening for myself and see if this helps me be a more thorough prayer. Yvonne Bryant
ReplyDeleteYvonne, you are not alone in the chaos that charaterizes your prayer life. Most, if not all of us struggle there. But God's listening skills are not in question...ours, however, are another story. Nouwen's challenge toward active listening cannot be ignored if we truly wish to encounter God in prayer.
ReplyDeleteI go to the park for lunch as often as possible--as much to listen for God's voice through nature (playful birds and seasonal changes of trees), as to separate myself from the cacophany of phones and demands. It started as my study time, but has become my prayer and journalling time. I am reminded by this ritual, of my small-ness and God's greatness ~ Pam
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam...the voice of God can be heard anywhere we truly listen.
ReplyDeleteJim