Week 1 | Day 4 | Say Less

Command:

Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples. Luke‬ 11‬:1‬ (NIV)‬‬

Read:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 (NIV)

Reflect:

My mom taught me how to pray at a very young age. By the time I was five, I was praying the Catholic Rosary with my mom on a nightly basis, reciting every element by heart. Over time, praying the Rosary became so mechanical, it felt like a task to speed through so that I can check one of the many religious boxes for the week. 

Fast forward to my adult years rediscovering Jesus and the Bible. I began meeting with co-workers for lunchtime bible study and prayer. I relished hearing others pray what felt like “spiritual prayers” that resonated deep in my soul. I wanted to pray like them - long prayers full of heartfelt poetry. I had even asked one of the women at work to teach me to pray like she prayed. She simply smiled and said something like, “Just spend time with Jesus and his word. He’ll teach you to pray. And when you don’t know what to pray, his Spirit will pray for you.” In retrospect, I think she was trying to tell me that Jesus is interested in just being with me. He doesn’t need me to pray long-winded formulaic or even poetic prayers. He already knows what I need. Sinking this understanding deep in my bones has taken many years. I talk a lot, so keeping my prayers short is quite a challenge. I sometimes imagine God smiling, saying to the host of angels around him, “Ah, get ready. This one is gonna be a long one.” 

I am still in the process of cultivating the practice of saying less and listening more, keeping it brief knowing that Jesus already knows my heart. The less I say (pray), the more space I give his Spirit to speak to my heart. 

React:

How has your prayer practice developed over time? Have you found yourself once in a while at a loss for what to pray? Take heart. Jesus already knows what your heart holds. He will meet you where you are at. 

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for hearing my heart without me having to say a word.