In Bible class Sunday we came to that passage in I Thessalonians that says, “pray without ceasing” (5:17). I never hear or read that verse without thinking of my first few months in Prague. I was living alone in a country where I didn’t yet know the language and was probably in various stages of culture shock. I was so out of my element that things I had spent years doing as habit just dissipated. Like praying before my meals. I also realized I was talking to myself – a lot! This just wouldn’t do, so I decided I would switch out talking to myself with talking with God. It wasn’t long before I was doing little else. Yes, I still went to language class, yes, I still met with my missionary teammates, yes, I tried to go out and meet people. But I still had huge swaths of time to myself, even in crowds, and I filled them with talking to God. It wasn’t as if I had my eyes closed kneeling with hands folded. I was rather just walking to the tram stop having a conversation about a blooming tree I smelled. I was cooking dinner on the stove talking about seasoning. I was on a run beside the Vltava River wondering to Him about a bird sitting on a limb. I talked to Him about people I saw and about what they were doing. Sure, there were moments of silence where my mind was shut off, but then I would think of something or He would show me something and I discussed it with Him. Sometimes it was deep, sometimes funny, sometimes just a passing thought. Where was the “amen?” There wasn’t one because the conversation didn’t end. And it dawned on me – I had come to a spot where I was constantly aware of God’s presence, talking, not talking, waking, sleeping, eating, whatever. It was almost physical and I Thessalonians 5:17 was real.
Now I think I got the immersive crash-course on this, but I know plenty of people who have come to the spot where they are constantly aware of God’s presence and live in that awareness every second. It’s certainly harder in our distracted world to foster and maintain this, but with some intentionality, it happens. For some, a prayer journal works. For others, it’s prayer walking and then carrying that over into other areas of life, ever growing in the realization that prayer is relational, not formulaic.
That’s just how I got here. I’d love to hear how you do it, so leave your thoughts below and I’ll try to okay the comments as quickly as I can so we can all grow from one another. God bless you today!
Such a great insight. Thanks.
I have come to realize God has a sense of humor. I can just be talking about something and as the background commercial on the radio k-love or the commentary switches to talk about that subject often in a way that makes me laugh like a dad joke from God. He also likes to get my attention with nature, hawks and deer are my favorites. He woes me. Just like a kid impressed by a mobile in the crib he made these things for our enjoyment. I found I got closer to him when my kids were younger almost as an attempt to survive as my husband was gone when I had my two boys. He has always been there when I was alone even from my days as a child playing hide and seek with him in the woods, as I am now older I realize that he never leaves us and we can connect and stay connected to our source of life.
I totally get the sense of humor, I think God loves to see us laugh and enjoy His creation…. Thanks!
Thank you, Melissa. What a great way to look at life as you have done and are doing. Every day presents challenges and always hope. We are so fortunate that God is in our lives everyday and that is what he promises, to be here with us everyday!