Tuesday, August 30, 2011

SILENCE


8/30/11 As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, silence in conversation makes me a little nervous. My sad admission is that I too often suffer that malady even in my prayer times.
Silence seems to "pile up" as I try to "be still and know that He is God." (Psalm 46:10) Listening is hard. Distraction is easy. Supplication begins to flow, as if I need to jump in and ask, in order to fill the void.
I know that the "asking" is not the entire purpose of prayer. Prayer is so much more than the getting things/answers for ourselves----though I rationalize that mostly I'm asking for others. The purpose of prayer is to get to know God. As Oswald Chambers reminds me, (My Utmost for His Highest, 8/28) "It is not so true that 'prayer changes things' as that prayer changes me."

I need to try to get over trying to alter things externally and allow the silences to alter me internally as I listen for more of Him.