Week 8 - Contemplative Prayer

 DAY 1 - PRAYER BEYOND MANY WORDS

Opening Scripture: Psalm 46:10, NLT
“Be still, and know that I am God!”

Contemplative Prayer is the prayer of simply being with God.  Richard Foster describes Contemplative Prayer as moving through three phases: recollection, the prayer of quiet, and, at times, spiritual ecstasy (joy or peace).  For our purposes this week, we will focus mainly on the first two.

Recollection means gathering our scattered selves before God. We bring our wandering thoughts, anxious hearts, tired bodies, distractions, concerns, and unfinished business into God’s presence.

The Prayer of quiet means learning to rest quietly with God. We are not trying to force an experience. We are not trying to make something happen. We are simply making space to be with God.

Sit quietly for 3–5 minutes.

Choose one simple phrase: "Be still and know that I am God."

When your mind wanders, gently return to the phrase.

End by praying:

God, I do not have to fill this space.
I do not have to perform.
Help me rest with you.
Amen.

Reflecion:

Am I comfortable being quiet with God, or do I feel the need to keep speaking?

I was comfortable not speaking, but I was hyper aware of the sounds around me

What makes silence difficult for me?

When I am most troubled, when I am in most need of help, that is when I lose my words, lose the ability to speak out or to reach out to others.  I sit in a cone of silence and am alone.  Sitting in that silence and feeling not alone is going to take some time

What would it mean to let myself be with God without trying to impress God?

I've never tried to impress the Lord, just tried to beg for mercy and forgiveness

Where in my life do I most need rest?

it would be nice to be at peace during the day rather than feel I am flailing about

DAY 2 - COME TO ME AND REST

Pray Matthew 11:28 slowly.

Come to me.

Pause.

All of you who are weary.

Pause.

And carry heavy burdens.

Pause.

I will give you rest.

Pause.

Then pray:

Jesus, I come to you with ________.  my despair and unbelief

Teach me to receive your rest.

Amen.

Reflection:

What burden am I carrying into prayer today?

I prayed so long and hard for my kids, but my son died and my daughter is suffering.  The temptation is to just give up because it didn't do any good that I can see

What would it mean to come to Jesus before trying to fix myself?

Where do I need to receive the gentleness of Christ?

What makes rest difficult for me?

DAY 3 - SITTING QUIETLY WITH GOD

Begin by remembering that God is already present.

Choose a simple prayer word or phrase. This is not magic. It is simply a way of gently returning your attention to God when your mind wanders.

Possible phrases:

Jesus.

Mercy.

Abide.

Here I am.

Be still.

You are near.

I rest in you.

Set a timer for 5 minutes.

As you sit, distractions will come. That is normal. You may think about your schedule, worries, conversations, tasks, or random memories. Do not fight them harshly. Do not judge yourself. When you notice your mind has wandered, gently return to your prayer phrase.

End with:

Jesus, thank you for remaining with me.

Teach me to remain with you.

Amen.

The practice is not perfect silence.  The practice is gentle return.  Contemplative Prayer is one way we practice remaining. We are not trying to create God’s presence. We are learning to stay with the God who is already with us.

DAY 4 - WHEN SILENCE FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE

God is not disappointed by our distracted minds. God receives us as we are.

This is a comforting word for contemplative prayer. Sometimes we do not know what to say. Sometimes we do not know how to pray. Paul reminds us that the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

Silence is not empty when the Spirit is present.

Pray honestly before entering silence:

God, silence feels difficult today because ________.

I bring you my distracted mind.

I bring you my restless heart.

Help me return to you gently.

Amen.

Then sit quietly for 3–5 minutes using this phrase:

Jesus, I return to you.

Reflection:

What did I notice when I tried to sit quietly with God?  

sounds were magnified about me

What kind of resistance showed up: distraction, anxiety, boredom, sleepiness, skepticism, or something else?  

I find that emotions bubble up - the doubts, the resentments, the bitterness, the isolation.  If I was superstitious, I would say my personal demon[s] is uncomfortable and therefore making me uncomfortable

What do I tend to do when prayer feels unproductive? 

retreat into repeating rote prayers that end up feeling synthetic and insincere in an effort to "fake it until I make it" and hope the Lord appreciates that I am making an effort at least 

Can I trust that God is present even when I do not feel anything?

Lord forgive me for my unbelief.

DAY 5 - FINDING SMALL SPACES OF REST

A contemplative life is not a life without activity. It is a life that learns to return to God in the middle of activity.

You may not be able to sit in silence for long periods every day. But you can pause.

    Before answering a message.

    Before entering a meeting.

    Before starting the car.

    Before eating a meal.

    Before reacting in frustration.

    Before walking into your home.

    Before going to sleep.

A pause can become prayer.

This is where the Prayer of the Heart is folded into the week. The Prayer of the Heart often uses a short repeated prayer to help the heart return to God. It gives us a simple way to pray beneath the noise of the day.

For example:

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

Jesus, Son of God, have mercy.

Jesus, I rest in you.

God, you are near.

The goal is not to escape daily life. The goal is to carry a quieter heart into daily life.  Choose one ordinary pause today and turn it into prayer.

Examples:

Before checking your phone:

    Jesus, center my heart in you.

Before responding to someone:

    Jesus, help me speak from peace.

When feeling hurried:

    God, I return to you.

When anxious:

    Lord Jesus, have mercy.

Before sleep:

    God, I rest in your care.

Reflection:

What did I learn this week about silence and rest?

that I tend to fill the silence too quickly.  Granted the tinnitus in my ears is less annoying when there is music around, but I even talk out loud when I am alone 

What short prayer helped me return to God?

from Psalm 20:  "May the Lord answer in time of trial"

and I am still asking for my heart and soul to be cleansed when I wash my hands

Where could I add one small pause into my daily rhythm?

take a heartbeat before responding to someone

How might a quieter heart change the way I respond to people?