Thoughts on Fenelon, Let God, To a Friend Wondering How to Pray
When I read Fenelon a few days ago he noted that there are some people who can’t help but pray. It is spilling out continually from a heart filled with desire and love for God. He says that “prayers are taking shape with every word, every action, every hope.”
I long to be this person who has such deep communion with God that prayers are continually spilling out into all that I do. I long for my heart to be so connected to His heart and His will that it shapes and defines everything I am, everything I say, and everything I do.
Fenelon notes today that we should pay attention to the uniqueness of who we are and how we connect to God. People connect to God different. He notes that some need much discipline and structure and others don’t. Some are list people and others are completely free spirited in their prayers.
Over my life of prayer, I have tried many methods to pray. I have practiced centering prayer, listing prayer, disciplined list prayer and completely undisciplined free spirited prayers. Fenelon notes that as a spiritual rule of thumb, when something connects with us deeply bringing a little fire or joy, then God is speaking to us. He notes that Scripture says that when the Spirit is at work, there is freedom.
Sometimes, certain ways of praying draw me closer than others. Writing seems over the years to be the most constant in my life. When I was first saved before I started going to church, I would write to God. I would then often hear Him respond back in a sermon or something else I heard during the week. Over time, it has seemed to become easier and easier to hear God through my writing. Probably because I anticipate to hear from Him this way.
Another way that I feel a connection with God in prayer is through worship music. For some reason, I can most clearly hear God speak to me through worship music. Every morning when I get up to pray, I put on worship music and I expect to hear God. My prayers for the day often turn in the same direction as the music I put on in the morning. Sometimes I will play the same CD over and over and over again throughout the day as I focus on a specific area of prayer.
The other way I feel a connection with God in prayer is through the Word of God. I love the Word of God and I often use it to form and shape my prayers. What I really enjoy is when everything seems to line up together.
When my devotional journaling, worship music, and scripture all seem to line up, I will begin praying the Scripture along the lines of what I journaled to the worship music that is playing in the background.
I love to feel this connected to God. There is nothing I would rather do at that moment and time in my life than be near Him and pray. In these times I feel so loved and doted on. He is amazingly good and generous with me.
Lord, thank you for your goodness to me. Thank you that you do not make it hard to pray. There is nothing I would rather do than to be with you. Teach me to use my time wisely so I do not spend it on lesser things. I long to be someone who spills out prayer from a heart filled with desire and love for you.
I long to be this person who has such deep communion with God that prayers are continually spilling out into all that I do. I long for my heart to be so connected to His heart and His will that it shapes and defines everything I am, everything I say, and everything I do.
Fenelon notes today that we should pay attention to the uniqueness of who we are and how we connect to God. People connect to God different. He notes that some need much discipline and structure and others don’t. Some are list people and others are completely free spirited in their prayers.
Over my life of prayer, I have tried many methods to pray. I have practiced centering prayer, listing prayer, disciplined list prayer and completely undisciplined free spirited prayers. Fenelon notes that as a spiritual rule of thumb, when something connects with us deeply bringing a little fire or joy, then God is speaking to us. He notes that Scripture says that when the Spirit is at work, there is freedom.
Sometimes, certain ways of praying draw me closer than others. Writing seems over the years to be the most constant in my life. When I was first saved before I started going to church, I would write to God. I would then often hear Him respond back in a sermon or something else I heard during the week. Over time, it has seemed to become easier and easier to hear God through my writing. Probably because I anticipate to hear from Him this way.
Another way that I feel a connection with God in prayer is through worship music. For some reason, I can most clearly hear God speak to me through worship music. Every morning when I get up to pray, I put on worship music and I expect to hear God. My prayers for the day often turn in the same direction as the music I put on in the morning. Sometimes I will play the same CD over and over and over again throughout the day as I focus on a specific area of prayer.
The other way I feel a connection with God in prayer is through the Word of God. I love the Word of God and I often use it to form and shape my prayers. What I really enjoy is when everything seems to line up together.
When my devotional journaling, worship music, and scripture all seem to line up, I will begin praying the Scripture along the lines of what I journaled to the worship music that is playing in the background.
I love to feel this connected to God. There is nothing I would rather do at that moment and time in my life than be near Him and pray. In these times I feel so loved and doted on. He is amazingly good and generous with me.
Lord, thank you for your goodness to me. Thank you that you do not make it hard to pray. There is nothing I would rather do than to be with you. Teach me to use my time wisely so I do not spend it on lesser things. I long to be someone who spills out prayer from a heart filled with desire and love for you.
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