It's been an incredible week. Lots of good things happening in my world and internally in my prayer life. One thing that I am most thankful for right now is my spiritual resolution to make prayer time a priority. Since Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year, it makes sense to consider some spiritual resolutions, just like many people do at the beginning of new calendar year. Yes, I usually make resolutions, and no, I don't always keep them. However, the idea of spiritual resolutions really intrigued me. I believe each day is a new opportunity to start fresh or continue a good work. That's forgiveness, mercy, and grace in action! So, I decided to work on my prayer life as a spiritual resolution.
Everyone prays differently, and so it makes sense that prayer styles, times, and approaches would differ from person to person. My challenge had been in the priority of prayer time. Too often I would hurriedly mumble my morning prayers and consider it done, or I would spend a little time reading the daily readings or the Daily Office, and figure that was good enough. I am realizing that my prayer time can be a much deeper experience if I do a few things a little differently. First, I made it a point to spend time in prayer each morning. This is beyond the quick morning prayers when I kneel after getting out of bed or the litany of requests that I send to God as I review everything I need to do that day. For me, it meant taking time - getting up earlier, doing something else faster or not at all in my morning routine - and just being. This is sometimes a challenge for me because I can get caught in the mindset of always moving = good. I'm finding that I now look forward to this quiet time in the morning. I know that mornings are very busy, but I also realize that my day can fill up with activities, and I don't want to take the chance that I do not get this time done. Thus, mornings are my plan. Second, I have my books and items to read and reflect each morning, but I don't read them as if I were removed from life. Let me try to explain. Life is messy, busy, noisy, and lots of other adjectives depending on the day and time. So, if I am reading the daily Scripture, I don't simply read it and move on, I try to reflect on how I lived it the day/week before, or how I could live it that day or in the next week. Or, to be honest, how I didn't live it and what I can do to improve or change. I find more richness in my prayer time when I connect all facets of life to God's Word. We don't need to limit our prayers to only the things we think God wants us to say. God wants it all; the yucky stuff, the happy stuff, the confusing and frustrating stuff. Third, I try to allow time to reflect and listen to God. It's hard to do, especially when we all have busy lives. I want to be enriched by what I read and pray, but I especially want to be aware of God's direction in my life. Where am I being called? How do I respond? What message am I getting today? On the days when I am consumed or distracted by other things, I may only be able to grasp a fleeting thought of peace, calm, love, forgiveness, etc. Yet, even in that briefest glimpse, I am graced.
Okay, if you're still reading, don't roll your eyes - I do not do all of this as well as I would like most days. Some days I'm doing well if I remember the last sentence I just read! But I am learning that repeating this practice improves my ability to stay in the moment. And lest you think I'm talking about an inordinate amount of time, it could be anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. I'm finding that when I truly focus on the action at hand, there is a timelessness that occurs. After all, God is outside of human time, so why wouldn't our prayer time/conversation time with God be that way as well? If we are truly honest, could we not find 5 minutes to spend in prayer? Or 10? Or whatever you need to be fully present with God? Ideally, our entire day can and should be a prayer, but we need to take little steps in the right direction.
Prayer - Lord, thank you for the graces and blessings in my life, and especially for the opportunity to talk with You. Help me to truly listen to You, and to know that I can share anything with You. Grant me the desire to converse with You, and teach me how to hear Your call.
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