The good news is we never need to feel alone, isolated, or estranged from God. God created us to live in fellowship, and prayer is an intrinsic part of that relationship. Our life journey allows us to walk hand in hand with God, and whether we realize it or not, God is with us through every step. Silent prayer centers our hearts in the presence of God.
God is present and has given us the promise that he will always be with us. Our struggle is being mindful of His presence, inviting him to be a part of our lives, and letting His love transform and change us.
Silent or contemplative prayer is a way of learning how to meditate and listen without the need for spoken words to communicate and be present with God. The opening of the Lord’s Prayer unfolds with the affirmation that God is our heavenly Father, and there is an indescribable sense of the awesomeness of God. It is impossible to comprehend the creator of the stars that number more than the grains of sand on planet Earth. How do we understand we are alive and that the galaxy we call home is spinning through space at over a million miles an hour?
Our Father, which art in heaven hallowed be thy name, in reverence, we are offering ourselves to empty everything that distracts us from focusing our full attention and adoration upon God. God invites us into His presence to leave the cares of the world behind and enjoy His love. So as we become still, we open up our hearts to prayer and seek a divine encounter with God. Contemplative prayer draws us into silence because the ultimate aim is for us to dwell in the presence of God forever.
In silence, we release the restless, troubling, and confusing thoughts in our minds, replace them with peaceful and hopeful thoughts, and rest in the presence of God. The silence ushers us into the throne room of God as we invite the resurrected Christ to access our hearts and minds. God is our refuge and present help in times of trouble and understands every detail of our lives. (Calming My Restless Mind)
In silence, we can also be honest with ourselves and with God about our struggles, weaknesses, and failures. In silence, we can meditate upon and struggle with our larger-than-life egos, selfishness, and pride that separates us from God’s love. When separated from God’s love, we feel lost and alone.
In silence, we humble ourselves and recognize our need for God and our hopelessness without Him. We face our struggles and the pettiness, jealousy, and anger toward ourselves and others in the quiet. The good news is in the silence; God can speak life to us and offer forgiveness and the hope to change the self-centered parts of my life. (The Practice of Christian Meditation and Prayer)
The mystery of the spiritual life is that Jesus meets us in the stillness of our hearts and reveals his love to us. Showing his love for us helps free us from our fears and understand who we are concerning everything around us. Every time we encounter the love of God, it penetrates our hearts, transforms our hearts, and lessens our fears and anxiety. When we focus on the command to love God with all our heart, and we realize the love of God, it sets us free to love everyone around us, and we never feel alone or without hope again. Silent prayer centers our hearts in the presence of God.
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