Dear Church,
To listen to God in prayer requires focus.
In what is arguably the most influential sermon ever given, Jesus, in Matthew 5:8, says: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." What is purity of heart?
The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “Purity of heart is to will one thing.” With this in mind, here is my translation of Matthew 5:8.
Blessed are the mono-taskers, for they will see God.
Real praying requires laying your multi-tasker down.
We see this in the garden, on the week of Jesus’s suffering and death. Jesus asks his disciples to watch and pray.
Watch.
Pray.
Be alert.
Focus.
Real prayer mono-tasks the God-relationship. It has no agenda other than to be with our Lord.
When I go to a place of least distraction to pray, I carry with me my journal, my Bible, and a devotional book. (For example, for years I used A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants.) I lay my cell phone down. If Linda calls, I will answer.
In that quiet place, I watch. I clear away mental clutter (see 1 Peter 5:7).
As I do this, spiritual alertness increases.
Effective praying requires giving Jesus my undivided attention. As this happens, hearing His voice happens.
I want you to learn the beauty of mono-tasked praying.
Love,
PJ
DECLUTTER
Clear away spiritual hindrances in your heart.
From my book 31 Letters to the Church on Praying.
