Cultivating the Heart: Quiet Prayer
The adjective in this tine of cultivation is essential to understanding how it cultivates the heart. One of my greatest struggles in communication with my wife and kids is my mouth. I talk and make my points and rest my case. When the other person finally gets to make her case, I am not really engaged in listening. I am not really present. Instead, I am looking for my opportunity for rebuttal or trying to find nuance to what has been said or interrupt. Whatever it is, it is not healthy.
Do you have this tendency in your relationships with others? I can guarantee that if you struggle with genuinely listening to humans who are right in front of your eyes, you more than likely have the same issue when communicating with God.
Too often prayer becomes a litany of concerns and complaints rather than a cultivation of intimacy. It becomes a transaction rather than communication. So how can we cultivate quiet prayer in our lives, thus cultivating a barren heart?
First, I would recommend sitting down. And just be still. You can focus on simply breathing in and breathing out. Focus on being still. When the inclination to jump up and do the dishes strikes you, force yourself to focus on simply sitting where you are. Tell yourself there is no more important place you need to be.
Second, reflect on the day. If in the morning, look at your calendar. Think about appointments you have or projects you need to accomplish. And say, “Lord, make me aware of your goodness when that appointment happens. Father, help me to be patient with that person.” If it’s at the end of the day, focus on three things that you’re grateful for. Consider how things went and that they could have gone much worse. Think through the fact that you had those opportunities for growth. Think about all the good things you have in your life right now.
Third, open up the book of Psalms and read just one. Slowly. Out loud.
Read it again. Slowly. Out loud.
Fourth, take a sip of your coffee or tea or water. And then ask yourself, “How is this psalm true of me right now? What is what the psalmist saying true of God? True of the world?”
Fifth, I’d encourage you to get a devotional that will guide you. If you have never read the Book fo Common Prayer, do yourself a favor and buy one and have it by your prayer chair. You can also check out these other resources:
Slowing down and actually considering your need of God will begin to break up the soil of your heart. And remember, you have to go back to the post in asking yourself IF having a receptive heart is important to you. And if it is, what would you not be willing to do to begin the requisite heart work?