Let The Lord Show You The Way

The prophet Jeremiah tells us: “Let the Lord, our God, show us what way we should take and what we should do” (Jer. 42:30). How can we do that? The simple answer is prayer. Make prayer a regular practice. Make prayer the first and the last thing you do each day. If you do this, you will begin to experience the urge to pray arising in you in all kinds of situations throughout your day. Sometimes it will take the form of a petition, sometimes thanksgiving, and sometimes moments of pure awe, when you suddenly “see” the workings, the graces of God in the most common of things all around you.

Paul tells us: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5: 16-18). When we make prayer our habit we are practicing the presence of God in our lives and we are consciously placing ourselves into God’s hands. Prayer includes reading and meditating on Scripture as well. My prayer practice, morning and evening, includes readings from the scriptures, silent meditation on them, prayers of petition for the health and well-being of a long list of family and friends and those suffering the ravages of current events, wars, fires, etc. I will say more about this idea below.

Prayer, first and foremost, is a conversation with God. It helps us to focus our attention on the presence of God in our lives. The habitual practice of prayer helps us to realize that God’s closeness to us is, in fact, normal; not an achievement on our part. God desires to be in relationship with us, to be in conversation with us all the time. The practice of prayer centers us in the moment, it takes us into the deepest recesses of our being where the beliefs and thoughts that govern our actions are seen for what they are in the light of God’s mercy and grace.

When the habit of prayer becomes like breathing to you, God’s ways and your desire to incorporate His ways into your daily life become more evident. Prayer, in its deepest and truest form, is a recognition of, and a respect for, the sacrament of the present moment. When each moment is lived in the recognition of God’s presence, every moment, every place, every situation becomes sacred, and an opportunity for prayer. The more you become receptive to God’s presence in each moment, the desire to live in His ways grows in you, and it becomes an evident part of your character.

Any discussion about prayer must, of course, include the value and importance of reading the scriptures. The scriptures have always been important to a healthy prayer life. It is in the scriptures that we encounter God’s ways and how different they are from the ways of the world. When we read scripture we are allowed to practice two particular forms of prayer, that is, meditation and contemplation. When we prayerfully meditate on and contemplate the scriptures we are inevitably challenged to look at our lives in the stark, revealing light of God’s Word. The Word of God has the power to change us, to change our whole way of being. Indeed, it has the power to change the world. A well-developed prayer life helps us to see and, then, to desire to be the persons that God made us to be, true sons and daughters of the One Who Is Love through and through. Jesus himself tells us, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8: 31-32). There is a paradox at the center of our faith. It is in knowing willingness to submit to the wisdom of God’s will, rather than our own, that truly makes us free. Prayer helps us to get there.

Pray! Pray always, and in all ways! In this, God will show you the way to true happiness, purpose, and meaning in this life. And you will come to know his presence with you in all places, times, and situations along the way.