Just a Thought

I find it interesting that I feel the need to pray most often while I'm reading the Bible. . . . Usually right smack dab in the middle of a chapter/section, which tends to bother my obsessive compulsiveness. . . . And that's just one more thing I have to submit. Maybe it's God telling me that I'm not being flexible enough in other areas either. That my OC behavior is getting out of control.

This has happened many times (the feeling that I need to pray NOW while in the middle of reading), but I've never really thought about why.

Another thought: I was in a book study back in Michigan and we talked a lot about prayer and Bible reading and how important it is to do it regularly, and keep your mind focused on what you're doing and not let it wander. To a degree, I agree. But isn't prayer a conversation? And pretty much a one-sided one? If prayer is a conversation, then why can't you talk about whatever pops into your head? Why does prayer have to be so structured? The Psalms aren't structured like that. They go back and forth and here and there. They ask questions; the writer addresses themselves and God in the same breath.

I go off on rabbit trails when I'm talking to Zack. Why is it wrong to go off on rabbit trails when talking to God? Are there things I'm not allowed to bring up to Him? That's a ridiculous thought.

I wonder these things because it seems like people want to put rules on praying, and I don't know why. Because we're to reverence Him? But we're also supposed to be able to climb into His lap and say, "Hi, Daddy." And you can do both at the same time. Do you realize that little children speak to their parents in a very scattered way? They'll talk about what they did two minutes ago and then what they did five days ago without a pause. How is it wrong if we do that with God?

Praying is difficult enough for me. Most of the time, I'm not a big talker - with anyone. There are days, of course, where I won't shut up, but most of the time, I don't say a whole lot - I'm a listener. I think this is why reading the Bible is so much easier for me. I love reading the Bible. It's God talking to me. That's why I love hearing preachers - there's something in the message God wants me to hear, for now or something that will get lodged in my brain and come up later.

Basically, I don't think there's anything wrong with letting your mind think about different things, as long as your focus is on communicating with God.

In case it's not clear what I'm talking about, I'll give this example: Women have the tendency of thinking about several different things at once, which means while I'm reading my book, I'm thinking about what I'm going to make for dinner, and when I'm going to sweep the floor, and how warm/cold it's going to be so I can pick an outfit for church tomorrow. Some would say that praying while thinking about all those things is wrong, or at least, improper - not best.

I disagree. Because that means that I can't talk to God about what I'm going to make for dinner and I can't wonder to Him what the weather is going to be like. It's not like God can't keep up with all of my thoughts, like Zack might get lost if I spouted all that one after the other. If I could think a thousand things at once, then He can hear them all too and follow without any issue. So if I'm praying for God to heal someone who's ill and thinking about my daily chores and what I need to do next, I don't think there's a problem. After all, what better Person is there to ask for help in arranging the order of my day so that it's the most efficient? Who else can give me the idea of what to wear because He knows exactly what the temperature is going to be and how I'm going to feel in it? If I can pray for my friend and pray for myself in the same moment (or very close to it), does that make either prayer mean less? Do you have to spend a certain amount of time praying/thinking about a subject for it to be fervent? Is it bad to pray in a short sentence for something pray about three other things and then come back to it? Don't we speak that way all the time?

Here's another question: Does prayer have to be in words, thought or spoken? From Romans 8, I tend to think no. Which means that while I've been typing this and not really had the proper brain power to word a prayer, have I actually, in my heart, been praying for my brother who needs a job, because he's been in my thoughts and on my heart the entire time? Does that count? What constitutes prayer? If you can pray and drive, can you pray and type? How much of your brain/emotions/heart has to be in it for it to count?

I think people make rules about prayer that just aren't there. Prayer is a wonderful gift. I don't think we should try to block it in so much. It has to be done this way or that way; it must last this long; you must pray when you get up in the morning or before you go to sleep. Why?

How can we hope to determine these things without Scripture specifically telling us? Maybe I need to read some books on the subject. . . . . In closing, I stress that these are just my current opinions and not learned ones at that. Just experiential ones.