Day 131: What Are Some Supporting Exercises for Prayer?
Today we look at three practices that can assist in our praying: Simplicity, Confession and Counsel, and Worship. These are three activities that help us focus on the grace and goodness of God.
What Is Simplicity?
Psalms 131:1-2
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
Prayer is something that should be cultivated in the flow of life and not apart from it. It can become something we do constantly throughout the day and not just at one special time during the day. In this way, a pattern of life is established—a habit of prayer. In order for this pattern to shape into habit, we have to keep things simple.
In seeking to lead a simple life, we are giving priority to things that are “first things”—the eternally significant things—and putting lesser things in their proper place or eliminating them all together. Godly voices from the past encourage us to put away anything which does not lead us to Father God.
For many of us, simplicity starts with slowing down, moving at a pace that allows us to be aware of the Lord’s presence and grace. We have time to realize that Christ and the Father are always present with us through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Because the Father and Son are with us, we bring them into all things—our joys, our fears, our worries, our hopes—knowing that all things are under their providential and sovereign guidance. The simple truth is that because Christ is over all things, you don’t have to worry and fret over how everything is going to work out.
In Psalm 131 above, the Psalmist begins with a confession that he has not set his sights to high; in humility he keeps his eyes on the things that are right in front of him. He has put an end to his pride that would tempt him to always be looking for more success, more self-gratification. He does not occupy himself with things that are too far beyond his reach.
In our times, we are faced with extraordinary pressures that can easily distract us from eternally significant things. We cannot withdraw from our World; in fact, we are called to engage it. Cultivating a simple life simply means getting rid of all that distracts us in order to make time and space to hear the Lord, see His glory, and respond in thanks and praise in all circumstance for all things.
Take a minute and think about things that distract you from more important things. How can you get rid of them or lessen their ability to distract you?
What Is Confession & Counsel?
Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
This supporting exercise is a big one. As we hear the Lord’s Word for us and we follow the pattern of TURN > TRUST > FOLLOW, we very quickly learn that we cannot do this alone. Each of us needs at least one trusted, wise, spiritually mature brother or sister in Christ to share our struggles, our fears, and our failures. This may sound scary to some. However, when done well, we will be “bearing one another’s burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
As we are confronted with the Word it will encourage us in some areas. Yet it will also point out areas where we need some healing, restoration, and transformation. As the Spirit uses the Word, we become of ways in which we have gone off THE Way and need correction or reproof/rebuke to help us get back on The Way. As we share our weaknesses, failures and sins with another trusted and wise brother or sister, we can then receive their counsel from the Word with gratitude realizing that we are all walking together, following Christ our Master.
James tells us, “So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness” (James 5:16). In this context, James is giving instruction to those who are sick. This may seem very un-modern, but the Scriptures make a clear link between sickness and sin.
We know that not all sickness is caused by particular acts of sin. But keeping things “bottled up” or worse, hidden, can affect us deeply. Bitterness, holding grudges, feelings of shame and guilt, can all be things that cause both spiritual sickness and even physical ailments. Speaking openly about our sin, weakness, and failures and receiving wise council and encouragement supports a faithful and fruitful way of life. Following the Way of Jesus, we keep our “good works” secret and speak openly of our failures.
Here, we have focused on confessing our sins to one another. The questions almost always comes up, “But what about confessing our sins to God, specifically 1 John 1:9?” We have a longer treatment of that in the appendix and you can read the dialogue we have there to dig deeper.
What Is Worship (Celebration, Gratitude, Praise)?
Revelation 15:4
Who will not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name, because you alone are holy? All nations will come and worship before You for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
As we hear God’s Word more clearly, more deeply, we will respond in gratitude for His goodness and grace. His joy will become our joy as we realize the soul satisfaction that comes from our participation in the glorious life of the Father and Son by the presence of the Spirit.
Consider the words of William Temple:
Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness, nourishment of mind by His truth, purifying of imagination by His beauty, opening of the heart to His love, and submission of will to His purpose. All this gathered up in adoration is the greatest expression of which we are capable.
There are many today who crave a worship “experience” and so they hope that the right kind of music, the right atmosphere, etc. will help them have a worship experience. Worship in the Bible is something we do, not something that is done to us. Worship is the celebration of the goodness of our Lord God in the total submission of all our heart, soul, mind, body to Him.
Worship begins by centering on Father God working in Christ through the Holy Spirit. We rejoice that we have been called up into their life. We delight in them and our relationship with them. We choose a life of gratitude and thanksgiving because all things are working together for our good. These are the types of things that cultivate worship and celebration.
It may come as a surprise, but one of the key things Jesus offers His students is joy.
John 15:11
I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you,
and your joy may be complete.
As we take on the Way of Jesus, His joy becomes our joy and out of this joy we can truly worship and celebrate and ultimately serve others.
Think about all that you have read today:
1) Think of specific ways you might implement some of these practices into your daily/weekly habits.
2) Ask the Lord to help you figure out what you can do to make your walk with Him more deep and satisfying.
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
