We’ve begun a series called “God and Your Bod” at Lifepoint. At the conclusion of the first week we challenged people to choose a goal and complete it by the time the series (6 weeks) is over. My challenge is to lose 12 pounds. So far I’ve lost a couple, but I’m stepping up my efforts.
With this in mind, I’ve been reading several books about the mind and it’s influence on our actions. This challenge has caused some people to put into action activities that they wouldn’t have if those activities had not been put in front of their mind. Everyone “heard” the challenge but only a few (a wonderful few!) have embarked on the journey. They heard and then allowed the idea to stay in their mind and it moved them to action.
Prayer is something that many people discuss and talk about and want to do more, but often don’t, or at least don’t “do prayer” the way they suppose prayer is to be “done”. This can cause conflicts and internal guilt, so I want to alleviate some of that.
I think many people are active in the spiritual discipline of prayer – without calling it or even perceiving it to be prayer. Spiritual disciplines are a subject that conjures up negative feelings. Feeling like we have to “buckle down” and work on these things. We think, “it will be hard, but it will be worth it in the long run”. In my experience a discipline ultimately becomes a part of the rhythm of life. The discipline has become a habit that is done without thinking about it – like breathing. I know that I breathe because I’m alive, but I don’t go around all day and “think hard” about breathing. It (breathing) has become an unconscious part of who I am.
Communication with God, or prayer is the same thing. There is an internal dialogue going on all the time within you because you are a spiritual being. You can no more undo that fact than turn back time. The key to feeling successful with prayer is to become conscious of that dialogue – to take control and direct the dialogue.
Too often we focus on the creating of the dialogue, but the conversation is already there. It is extremely difficult to create something that is already in existence and perceive it as new. Instead, focus on the directing of the conversation within and you will see a direct change in the way you feel about the topic of prayer.
Often times our definitions of spiritual things are simply passed down from someone else. We need to look at the words that define spiritual expirations and find out what they mean to “us”, only then can we truly have the foundation of faith we think we already have.
christopherhildreth 