Thoughts on Praying

Author Carl McColman has a new post about "Wasting Time with God" on his blog that is well worth reading.

As he relates a moment where he was challenged by a monk to pray more each day so did I receive an abrupt pause in my thoughts, like cold water splashed on my face.

I am trying to meditate twice a day, which is sometimes hard to maintain. Luckily, our priest Sandy Casey-Martus advises that the amount of time does not matter, but that this twice a day commitment does. She says that God will grow the times as prayer is always God's prayer.

I realize that as the prayer practice has continued, it has also grown in time for me--as has the commitment. There is God's influence in my prayer, our prayer.

Commitment is necessary, too. For years before this, I sporadically tried to meditate. Father Kelly Nemeck, priest, author, and founder of Lebh Shomea retreat center in Sandia, TX, advises people to pray one hour a day. He said they found that it often took that long to reach contemplative states. (Of course, he and the core community pray five hours a day at Lebh Shomea.)

One hour was too much of an obstacle for me for many years, though I did try it sometimes. . . but not with the commitment that has grown in the past year, under the influence of Sandy. So I am gratefuly that she is the priest at All Saints Episcopal Church and continues to stress prayer there.

For me, little steps have been rewarded by God. Depending upon the Holy One and asking for guidance and help is the way of growth for me, while maintaining the twice-a-day commitment to sit in silence.