Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Prayer and Feelings (PrayerLife)

Linda and I, in New York City

I'm going out to pray today. I've been doing this Tuesday afternoon prayer time for over three decades. I'm going to meet with God, not get get some experience.

I will not be expecting certain feelings to arise as I pray. That is, my prayer life is not dependent on feeling God, but on the reality of God-with-me whether I feel him or not

"Prayer means keeping company with God who is already present."
- Philip Yancey, Prayer, Kindle Locations 958-959)

This means that my "feelings" about God's presence or absence are real but irrelevant to the fact of God's presence now with me.

Any feelings of God I experience are important but are not indicative. Experiencing God is vital. Experiences and feelings will come. Let them come as a result of praying, not as the goal of your prayer life.

Meet with God today in prayer. Give thanks for however God chooses to love and touch you.