At the intersection of writing and life with the author of the Cameron Ballack mysteries

Sunday, October 19, 2014

How to Pray

If your spiritual journey is even somewhat remotely important to you, perhaps you're like me and you really struggle with how to pray. I don't know where this struggle arises from. It could be from a lack of humility. In all likelihood, I'm sure my pathetic inability to isolate everything that distracts from in front of me. And there are probably a host of other reasons, which says everything about the abundance of my spiritual disorders.

There are many remedies promised through book and other resources, spiritual disciplines and otherwise. Of course, you could begin with Joel Osteen's Your Best Life Now, as long as you get several copies of it and put them on a roaring fire to set the mood for your prayer time (some of those volumes will feed a fire for several hours). But a simple, yet revolutionary, idea is to go to the prayerbook of God's people down through the ages.

The Psalms.

Although our biblical literacy seems to be diminishing, several of the Psalms of the Bible hold a prominent place. Yet these words must go beyond sentimental memory and move to seminal focus. Prayer--and it's result of encountering God--shines the brightest in the raw and honest words of the Psalms.

I could say more, except for the fact that my dad said it better in the lead-up to a Bible conference in Sydney, Australia. Check out this video interview about preaching and praying the Psalms. If you're not a pastor, don't let the "preaching" part intimidate you. There's plenty of meat here for everyone to chew on.

Happy viewing!

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