KEEP ON PRAYING

Wednesday - December 22, 2021

Posted

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” – Luke 18:1

 

In the book “The Benedict Option”, Rod Dreher writes: “I told the priest how, in response to a personal crisis, my own orthodox priest back in Louisiana had assigned me a strict daily prayer rule, praying the Jesus prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”) for about an hour each day. It was dull and difficult at first, but I did it out of obedience. Every day, for a seemingly endless hour, silent prayer. In time, though, the hour seemed much shorter, and I discovered that the peace I had conspicuously lacked in my soul came forth.

After I was spiritually healed, my priest explained his reasoning for directing me to give myself over to that simple meditative prayer: “I had to get you out of your head.”

He meant that I was captive to an intellectual tendency to try to think my way out of my troubles—a strategy that always ended in failure for me. What I really needed to do was to quiet my mind and still my heart to open it to God’s grace. He was right.”

 

The Lord desires that we have passion and persistence in our prayers to Him. Today in prayer, thank Christ that He is faithful to answer and seek to be persistent in seeking His will.

 

“The paradox of prayer is that it asks for a serious effort while it can only be received as a gift. We cannot plan, organize or manipulate God; but without a careful discipline, we cannot receive him either.” - Henri J.M. Nouwen

 

God’s Word: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” – Romans 12:12