Learning Prayerful Contemplation

“And after [Jesus] had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.”

(Matthew 14:23, ESV)

Living the Christian life / living in relationship with God has often felt like a maze to me … just when you think you are getting it right, you hit a dead-end and have to begin again. I go to church, work to set time aside to read my Bible and pray, and work to do good things … but in the end I do not feel close with God. Why is that?

When we approach God like a checklist, we find life more like a maze. We pick a path / a method and hope it leads to fullness with God; it might be partially right but does not get us where we want to go. I would suggest picturing our walk with God as more of exactly that - a walk; when we walk with others, we interact with them, we speak but also listen, we are in silence together, we embrace where we are at in that moment.

This weekend has reminded me of this need for prayerful contemplation. Reflecting upon Good Friday and Easter Sunday, reading a book that calls us to “contemplative spirituality” (prayerful contemplation in all aspects of life), and tackling some home projects this weekend all have reminded me to slow down spiritually. I so quickly get busy (often doing good things) but fail to be prayerful.

Are you stuck in the maze of trying to fit God into life … or are you learning to walk with God, following Him where He takes you?