A New Way to Pray

II once worked with a woman I'll call Jennifer. She and I really struggled to communicate with each other. I would say something that I thought was a good thing and she would look at me like I was saying something bad. For a while, I didn't understand, until one day Jennifer shared with me that she was almost deaf in one ear and had limited hearing in the other ear. No wonder we had trouble communicating! Sometimes she literally couldn't hear what I was trying to say. 

When it comes to prayer, I wonder if you have ever felt like Jennifer? Have you struggled to hear what God is trying to say to you? Communicating with God can be a real challenge in our journey of faith. How do you talk to someone you can't physically see or hear? Recently, I was listening to someone talk about prayer and I gained a valuable insight that I'd like to pass on to you. Here it is: Prayer is talking to God about what we are doing together. Let's unpack this now.

The insight is based on John 14:13 where Jesus says "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son." So challenge number one in this verse is that Jesus seems to be promising too much. Whatever I ask for? How come when I ask for a million dollars I don't get it? What about other unanswered prayers? The key to understanding this extravagant promise is the second part of the verse which calls us to "ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son." We need to understand who God is and what God's character is all about in order to ask in Jesus' name.

Here's where the insight clicked for me. When we understand that God is love and God is actively promoting all the good that is currently in the world, then we can decide if we are willing to join God's work. If we choose to do good in the world, we are now in alignment with God's purposes in the world. We are living "in Jesus' name." And once we align our will to God and choose to join God in doing good in the world, we will approach prayer in a completely new way. This leads to a new definition of prayer.

Prayer is talking to God about what we are doing together. That changes everything doesn't it? I'm no longer trying to manipulate God to make all my problems go away or all of my dreams come true. I am simply asking God to empower me to do good today. I am praying for that which is good, which is of God, to prevail in the world. I am praying for God to work in the lives of people that I care about. And I am talking to God about the details of my day and my plans for the future. Prayer both changes us and empowers God to work in answer to our prayers. 

So I invite you to try this approach to prayer. Talk to God about what you are doing together. And then watch for God to show up in your life. You may be surprised how this can change the way you pray. 

May the love, joy, and peace of God permeate your soul this week.