Listening Amid the Noise of our World
Lent can be a time devoted to prayer. Creating a space and time for regular prayer takes discipline, a firm resolve and deep commitment. Prayer comes in many different facets: that noisy cry for help, the lamenting, complaining, murmuring as we impatiently wait for results, the repetitive begging, sighing for relief from pain and suffering or the excited happy, exhilaration of praise and thanksgiving for prayers answered.
In our questioning, our pleading, our frustrations we must speak first…..get it all off our chest, laying it all at God’s feet, empting ourselves completely so God can fill us up again with what we need. Then in SILENCE we LISTEN. Do we take time to practice LISTENING PRAYER? He can answer us in any kind of situation, noisy, riotous, yelling, screaming, and through loud music but He honors our efforts in putting aside a special time for Him.
He, Himself, spent many nights in prayer listening to the voice that had spoken to Him at the Jordon River. We too, must pray to keep this line of communication open. This will prevent confusion by the many competing voices wanting our attention. This is difficult, we who are used to running off our prayer list find it hard to sit still and be silent. The inner voices are noisy and very undisciplined popping up, overwhelming us. Henri Nouwen shares “Our inner life often looks like a banana tree full of jumping monkeys.” But if we can persevere and not run away, these monkeys may gradually go away for lack of attention and the soft gentle voice calling us “His beloved” will make Himself heard.
We who want answers immediately struggle with this silence and keeping our thoughts relaxed and stayed on our Lord. Don’t Quit!! Thank Him for what He is doing in the SILENCE. For again He honors this time set aside and is busy changing us to accept His way for us and those we pray for.
SIT COMFORTABLY, RELAX—breath deeply in and out—use a mantra if necessary (one – three words) and rest in His presence for 15 to 20 minutes.
“HE IS WAITING.” “HE IS HERE.”