Prayer takes energy. When you are stressed, you may find you can’t use your imagination to meditate. You may be too worn out to converse with God. This was the case with me last year, when homeschooling three kids with a baby overwhelmed me.
Several times when I went to pray, I had too little strength to picture a scene from the Gospels. I could barely muster the energy to think the words, “Jesus, I love you.”
But I knew I had to pray. And I knew Jesus was there. I knew His love was constant. That meant He was loving me at that moment. So I decided just to soak in God’s love, like I might soak in the sunlight. I sat silent, reminding myself briefly every few minutes that God’s love was surrounding me. I let Him love me, and that was my prayer for half an hour.
I’ll never forget one trip to the confessional at this period of my life. I don’t remember what I said to the priest–certainly no specifics about my prayer method–but his advice astonished me. He said I should just sit and let God love me–the very thing I had felt inspired to do.
If you are too emotionally drained to pray, try this method.
You have discovered the key, one of the best kept secrets of prayer, a secret Mary knew. Soaking in God's presence really is contemplation We surrender to Him, open our deepest self and simply allow Him to work in us. I have worn out all earnest, egotistical striving and now I can only surrender to Mercy and Grace as HE prays in me.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have reached the level of supernatural contemplation, which is a Divine gift. But I think this could be classified as acquired contemplation--sort of a halfway point between meditation and supernatural contemplation (if there can be a halfway point between God and man!).
ReplyDeleteIt is impossible to see what God does in us because we only see darkness, imperfections, etc. leaving, not the blinding light of God that is pouring in. It is almost like being anesthetized during an operation. We often are in a better state than we know, thank God.
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