Margaret Feinberg is giving up prayer for Lent. Now you really need to read her blog to get a sense of what she means. At first glance, I was a little concerned. Then after reading, I realized that she had a point. Like Margaret, sometimes my prayers "sound like a gushing four-year-old who talks in an eternal run on sentence. I realize that over time I’ve been increasingly unspecific and un-attentive in my prayer life."
My prayers become rants and rambles.
There's nothing wrong with rambling in prayer. But for me at least, it does speak of the lack of focus. Furthermore, the more I ramble, the less I listen...the less I wait for the answer. Prayer is not monologue, it is dialogue between Creator and creature. Prayer is less about updating God on my life, feelings and needs (for he already knows these things) and more about aligning my life with His will so that my feelings are in check and I get what I need for the day.
During Lent, I am hoping to regain some sense of that. I hope to find the balance between "my soul waiting for God alone in the silence" and "pouring out my heart to Him". (Psalm 62)
Comments