be-musings

Matthew can be demanding, as are most children. He doesn't seem to understand that me being on the phone means he should not be talking to me at the same time. He just knows he wants something, and he needs to express it right now. That's like the self-centred prayer. "God, I'm upset about this and I really need to ask you to get it for me. I can't stop thinking about it." Maybe God needs us to remember the house rules. Are you allowed to have it? Is it healthy for you to have? Is there a way you can get it for yourself? Then go for it.
Besides individual prayer, we know that there is also group prayer. It is something that bonds people together in caring for each other and in common purpose. In my life, group prayer has been a time of basking in God's presence. I personally have also experienced the healing power of God during group prayer and "laying on of hands." It is something I strongly believe in. However, I seem to be too attention deficit to be a real "prayer warrior" in terms of how many hours I spend with groups in prayer. For me, prayer is an attitude and God is my companion. I spend times thinking only of Him and conversing with Him as I do different functions throughout the day.
I remember a woman from the church I attended in youth. She would talk about something God revealed to her after "only 2 hours in prayer". She meant 2 hours straight! Some people really can do that kind of thing. I would be dream praying by then.
God gets that we don't all have the capacity to be like that woman. The form isn't important. What's important is that whatever form we use, in our expressive moments with God we need to be honest, vulnerable and willing to be intimately involved with Him.