Difficult things in the Bible (pt. 4)

Pray without ceasing,
1 Thessalonians 5:17

In the video game adaptation of the Russian novel Metro Exodus, the player assumes the role of a survivor in a radioactive wasteland in Russia. You are free to explore the dystopian world, but you must never forget to switch the filter on your gas mask or risk death by poisonous air. It’s a constant worry when you are not fighting off werewolves and malicious gang members.

Prayer without ceasing seems impossible if you think of prayer as kneeling, starting a long list, or having a secluded private conversation. There’s definitely a need for prayer time with no distractions, but that is not the only way to communicate with God.

If prayer is the acknowledgment of God’s presence and reality, then you are constantly praying when you envision him. Picturing God’s presence in your day helps us stay on track and focused. The problem is that even with a great imagination, it’s hard to think about God all day. When Jesus taught us to pray, he gave us a template for communicating with our Father in Heaven. The template includes worship, obedience, asking, forgiving, and protection. If we were to take one of those topics and spend the day reflecting on how God is working in it, we would be praying constantly.

In the book Practicing the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence documents his trials with acknowledging God. He notes that obedience and surrender became easier as he gave his mind over to God in prayer. I pray that is our experience as well.

Figure it Out

But when we are faithful in keeping ourselves in his holy presence, keeping him always before us, this not only prevents our offending him or doing something displeasing in his sight (at least willfully), but it also brings to us a holy freedom, and if I may say so, a familiarity with God wherein we may ask and receive the graces we are so desperately in need of.

In short, by often repeating these acts they become habitual, and the presence of God becomes something that comes naturally to us. Give God thanks with me for his great goodness toward me, which I can never sufficiently admire, and for the many favors he has done for so miserable a sinner as I am.
Practicing the Presence of God- Brother Lawrence

  1. What appears to be achievable in Brother Lawrence’s passage?
  2. What seems impossible in the passage?
  3. Read Matthew 6:9-13 (The Lord’s Prayer). Which of these topics listed in the prayer can you practice bringing into your mind?


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