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Prayer is simply having a conversation with God. It is important to come into the presence of God often and pray. Praying is quietly listening to that still small voice. God is speaking to us all the time. God our Father loves us intimately and desires to converse with his children. But unless we are willing to be still and listen, we miss those divine messages. He wants to speak to us in the ordinary happenings of our daily lives. God wants to be in relationship with each one of us.
God speaks to His children through Scripture. By reading Scripture and meditating on a verse or two, we are in a better position to hear God speak to us through his Holy Word.
When I choose to take time each day and enter into the silence, I am able to listen as God gently speaks to my heart. I have a special place in our home where I can go and enter into the silence. It is at my kitchen table. The corner of the wall near the table, is my hero's pictures. These are pictures of the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, Saint John Paul II, the late Emeritus Pope Benedict, XVI, Pope Francis, Mother Angelica and two very special holy priests. These holy men and women are my heroes in the faith that help me on my journey here. Where I sit, I can look out the window and marvel at God's creation.
It is difficult to let go of the hectic, load noises and voices of the day. As I begin my prayer time, I gently take a few deep breaths and inhale Jesus’ peace, love, and joy. Sometimes I read a few lines from Scripture and I write in my journal about the Scripture verses. Other times, I just begin to pour out my heart and my soul out to my God and my Lord. It is in this silence that God pours out his love and healing grace into my heart and begins to speak to me as I begin to write in my journal. In this precious time, I begin to praise God, asking him for direction in my daily problems and thanking Him for always providing for me.
When I participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, I truly enter into His Heavenly Banquet of love. I also try and go to the adoration chapel as often as possible. I can truly then enter into the silence. It is there that my Lord and My God beckons me to come and rest in His presence.
I have found that if I take the time for prayer, I come away refreshed, renewed, and restored. I am more peaceful, more self-assured, and more joyful despite pressing problems. God equips me with his strength to walk through my difficulties. When I don’t take this time, I am irritable, short-tempered, more fearful, and filled with anxiety.
When I am experiencing a crisis, I have found memorized prayers such as the Our Father, Hail Mary or the Glory Be to be quite comforting. Formal prayers are wonderful. They are a great comfort and God honors these prayers.
I have found that praying the rosary is calming and effective because I am calling upon Mary’s powerful intercession while meditating on the life, death and resurrection of Our Blessed Lord and Savior. The rosary is a contemplative prayer as well as a meditative prayer. While praying the rosary my fingers move from bead to bead as I meditate on the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The pray of the rosary is a powerful prayer. According to Pope Saint Pius the X: “Of all prayers, the rosary is the most beautiful and richest in graces; it is the prayer that touches the Heart of the Mother of God…and if you wish peace to reign in your home, recite the rosary.”
In difficult moments during the day, I sometimes just simply cry out, “Help me, Lord.” I also call upon the Holy Angels and Saints to intercede for me. God sees our hearts and it is the prayer that comes from the heart that moves the hand of God’s mercy. In Luke 18:13, you find what is known as the sinner’s prayer: “O, God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This pray is humility itself.
I can look for other opportunities to pray in the ordinary happenings of my day such as waiting in my car for the stop light to turn green, waiting at a train crossing, waiting for a friend or taking a walk.
Like many, I have a busy, sometimes hectic schedule. In order to take the time to pray and enter into the silence with God, I schedule time for God on my calendar. It is true, it takes a conscience, disciplined, effort to enter into the silence but the rewards and blessing are many. The Blessed Trinity has become my best friend.
Through conversing and listening to God in prayer, my list of people I pray for is growing by leaps and bounds and my so-called “hit list” or “get even list” is getting smaller and smaller. The Holy Spirit begins to soften my heart to forgive more easily and to let go of past hurts. I find my heart is more joyful, more peaceful, and more able to love those who are especially difficult to love.
I recommend prayer for whatever ails you because it works! “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10.
Connie Beckman resides in Helena Montana with her husband and their dog Chewie and their two cats Heidi and Bailey. A number of years ago, she was the editor and feature story writer for a small bi-weekly newspaper. Connie has been published in a number of Catholic magazines. Margaret Ann Stimatz, Ruth Lloyd, and Connie co-authored a 40-day-reflection booklet entitled: Mercy for Little Souls which contains tidbits about the late Father Stu Long's powerful ministry with quotes from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy In My Soul. Mercy for Little Souls is available at Beyond.227.org. Her desire as a writer is to encourage Catholic spiritual growth by sharing the truths of the faith through the written word addressing a variety of subjects. "Go out to all the world and tell the good news." Mark 16:15.
