As I was reflecting on prayer and my prayer life a couple of days ago, I noted that though I have become more regular and disciplined in prayer and learned to spend more time in prayer since coming to Calvin College, there was something missing. Something I had been dimly aware for some time but could not quite put my finger on. Something that is not even in many books about prayer.
I haven't prayed together with someone else in a really long time.
Oh, we pray in Bible study and in accountability group. We have corporate prayer in church. I even attend chapel where Tuesdays are reserved for prayer. But I haven't gotten together with a group for the purpose of prayer.
Much of what I have learned about prayer, I have learned from praying with my family, with my CF, with my YF leaders, with church members at prayer meetings. I consider these to be more valuble than the talks and books I have heard and read about prayer. The talks and books helped me to understand prayer, but praying with more experience "pray-ers" taught me how to pray.
I miss the intimacy I have felt with others, knowing we are of one mind and heart, desiring the same things. I miss affirming the prayers of others and having mine affirmed in return. I miss being able to pause in prayer and have someone else take over - it is a little harder to pause and rest in prayer when there is dead silence. Without something to focus on, my mind tends to wander.
The Barnabas leaders (student Christian leaders/mentors) in my dorm tried to get a prayer group together last semester. It fell through because they picked a bad time to start (two weeks before finals is not a good time to try to get people to do something). Perhaps it is time for round two?
2 comments:
Mm. I've been avoiding corporate prayer for some time due to a certain amount of reluctance to allow my hurts to come to the forefront. I do not wish to pray generic prayers that do not reflect my feelings. I'm talking about general (and to a certain extent false) "cover up" prayers, not about prayers from a prayer book, which I hold in high esteem.
But... I've found that praying together can also be beneficial for breaking down barriers of misconceptions and prejudice. Some of the people that I've been disdainful of for certain reasons I have learned to see in a different light after praying together with them.
Speaking of second rounds, here's also hoping Round Two of Akouo will be better than the first!
~SimianD
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