Talking vs. Praying
By Gina Conroy
“When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.” 1 Kings 8:54
I’ve noticed lately (though I’ve known for years) that I seem to talk to God more than pray to Him. It wasn’t always like this.
Before marriage and kids I was a pray-er. A continuous communer with Jesus.
But life got busy and my alone times got less and less until now it seems I throw out 140 character Twitter-like conversations, a status update with my God.
“Hey God, how’s it going this morning? I’m stressed and overwhelmed. Oh yeah, I need to pray about this and that and so and so is sick…”
Now I know prayer is talking to God, but that’s not the kind of prayer I’m talking about. While I love being able to chat and strike up a conversation (or a good rant) with the creator of the Universe and His son, I know that’s only one level of prayer.
The other, more deeper level of prayer, the one where you get on your face and wrestle with things in the spiritual realm is what I’m talking about.
I hear myself telling people I’ll pray for them or “I’ll pray about it,” but do I really, I mean really pray about it?
Yes and No.
I usually offer up a quick prayer or at least think about there request in a prayerful way, but do I really wrestle with it?
Most times no, unless of course it’s a life alerting decision or life or death situation.
But why do I do that? And is there anyone else out there that does the same thing?
I think it’s because I’m a doer.
Praying just doesn’t seem like it does anything, even though I know it does. It doesn’t seem as active as talking and planning and hashing things out. But it’s something I want to change. I think by praying, really praying, not just talking about praying, that I’ll catch a glimpse of the intimacy I desire.
That I won’t be on the outside of the “circle” only wishing I was in with the “in crowd” the ones who seem to connect on a deeper level with the Lord because they spend time in his presence, really praying. That’s what I desire.
But I also know God loves me despite my lack of “prayer” and prayer is just one means of intimacy with the Lord. If I continue to seek Him, maybe in ways that aren’t as traditional, then I’ll get to the praying, eventually.
Whether it’s a Twitter like prayer or a full blog post, I know He’s anxiously waiting to hear from me when I finally sit or kneel or fall on my face in his presence.
Until then, He’s always watching and checking for status updates!
Gina Conroy used to think she knew where her life was headed, now she’s leaning on the Lord to show her the way. As she travels this bumpy road called faith, she’s a wife and has had the privilege of mothering and homeschooling four children at various times in their academic career. She’s learned more about herself (the good, the bad and the ugly) and more about God from her kids than she could ever teach them. As she pursues publication in fiction, she’s trying to keep things in perspective, knowing His timing is perfect, even if she doesn’t agree with it! 😉 You can read all about her triumphs and trials at Portrait of a Writer…Interrupted and encouragement for writers at Writer…Interrupted
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Gina, girl, you rock! Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us about the differences between talking and praying…I know I can always use a reminder lesson when it comes to my “talking”. *lol*
I am so glad you have spent the day with us, listening from, learning from, and gleaning from this week’s
Godly Gal. We have truly been blessed with some amazing ladies, haven’t we?
I also know that there are many more out there…just like YOU!
Yeah you! Take a minute to send me an email so I can send you a copy of the submission guidelines. You can always change you mind, but you don’t even know if you don’t find out more information, right?
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Godly Gal too!
Until then let’s all “Take our everyday, ordinary life and place it before God as our offering” ~ Paraphrased from Romans 12:1 TM
