Prayer Is Presence

I was standing on the earth, connecting with that part of its creator that was imbued into it, thinking about how the earth supports us. 

Oftentimes in my life, prayer has been outcome based - asking God to do this, to change that, or take that away. The outcome typically sought had to do with comfort, safety, or convenience - whether my own or someone else’s. And when prayer is based on an outcome, we tend to become focused on that one outcome that we decided is best.

Image by reenablack from Pixabay

Saying a prayer with the goal as the main focus somehow absolves us of the responsibility of making it happen. We’re to leave it in God’s hands and just wait for the miracle. In fact, to ‘help’ God, or do anything to bring the desired outcome to fruition, shows a lack of faith on our part.

When you pray with a specific request, or outcome, you actively look for that specific answer; you may completely miss it if God doesn’t answer you in the way you expect. And when your expectations are not met, you may become disappointed thinking God let you down, or assume (incorrectly) that the outcome you were seeking was simply not in his plan. This approach to prayer closes you off to the myriad of creative ways that God might be able to answer you that you couldn’t have imagined. 

I’m coming to believe that when prayer is outcome based, its fruition doesn't involve us and is, in fact, limited by us. 

The bible does tell us to make our requests known to God, but it never says he will grant them. But I think the outcome is not the point. Perhaps it is just a way of God encouraging us to communicate our needs and desires with him. Maybe it’s more of a way for us to get in touch with our own soul, and if God is within us then connecting with our own soul connects us to God. 

What if prayer is an invitation to be real - with God and with ourselves? What if it’s an invitation for us to know ourselves and to have someone to share that with?

Image by Barbara Jackson from Pixabay

When I stood on the earth, I wondered at the largeness of it, how a spherical object can seem flat from my vantage point. I could trust the earth to support me, that I could just walk on it - or run on it, lay on it, jump on it - wherever I wanted to without worry or concern that I would fall off it; it would always be there to catch me. I was grateful for the electrical impulses that run through the earth that positively affect my body and bring it back to health and into balance. I asked nothing more of the earth than it was already offering; I simply accepted it. 

And I marveled at its creator, the One it was reflecting in all of these things. 

Maybe that’s what prayer is - simply acknowledging and being in God’s presence, wondering at his greatness. Trusting without worry or concern that he is already supporting me, always there to catch me. Grateful for the positive effect he has in my life. Asking nothing more of Him than he has already abundantly provided, simply accepting it.

In his presence there is wonder, there is rest, there is joy and there is abundance.

What if presence with God is prayer itself?