Praying Into the Silence
Josh Dean - Watford, North London, UK

1 Session

See Resources Below

Prayer is so easy that we can teach children to participate before they start speaking. Yet, prayer is also so difficult, that after 25 years of praying at least three times a day, I still am unsure whether I am doing it right. Speaking out into the sky, into the silence, or into the void is truly a powerful discipline. Hannah speaks a whole monarchy into existence in 1 Samuel. Elijah asks God to end his life. The Lord’s prayer plays on repeat all around the world. Let’s try and understand together what it is we are doing when we speak to God.

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Prayer Resources

"When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial."

RaDR on Prayer:

https://threader.app/thread/1095333620057690115

http://living-faith.org/2017/10/18/psalm-44-when-god-is-silent/

https://www.thechristadelphian.com/resources/read-booklets-online/does-god-hear-prayer/

Andrade C, Radhakrishnan R. Prayer and healing: A medical and scientific perspective on randomised controlled trials. Indian J Psychiatry. 2009;51(4):247–253. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.58288

Invocations and Intoxication: Does Prayer Decrease Alcohol Consumption? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20565147

Jankowski, Peter & Sandage, Steven. (2011). Meditative Prayer, Hope, Adult Attachment, and Forgiveness: A Proposed Model. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. 3. 115-131. 10.1037/a0021601.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-secular-life/201909/does-prayer-work

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId4310443&t76257410468

https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Berakhot.5?lang=bi

https://biblefeed.org/podcast/connecting-with-god/

Helpful Tips

  • Writing it down. After a run or as you walk. First thing as you wake. - Focus on being led not on the past. Negative. With others. Asking others what they want you to pray about. Keep a diary. Try never mentioning yourself. Find a passage, hymn, and pray around that. Where does it lead you to? Vocalise - pray out loud, In public in private. Prayer walk.

  • Head outside, or on a balcony or look out a window for a while.

  • Each time you pass something beautiful, or see it - thank God for it. See a big tree - Hey God, that is a majestic tree!

  • Hear the birds singing - God, Thank you for creating Birdsong! It is so cheering and calming.

  • Smell some food from a curry house across the road - Thank you God for letting me experience your creation with my senses, even my nose!

  • It may feel odd or ungainly at times especially if you are British like me, but I have found it a helpful way to reframe perspective.

  • Plan to pray. If you are worried about mental drift. Don't be. It happens. Plan to pray, work it our before hand.

  • We worry about repetition. Or not knowing what to say.

  • For all issues, praying more will help our minds as we approach in prayer.

  • It cannot hurt to have God more and more involved in our lives of prayer.

  • We can encourage others by our prayers. It is a great help sometimes to listen to those who have great command and sensitivity in their prayers.

Who knows, it may be that precisely in these times of separation and illness and failure that we learn to see God working through us and those around us. As we falter and fumble and try new things, we can call on His name and then go on to do new things?