"Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually."
(1 Chronicles 16:11)
There was a recent advertisement that claimed, "The first step to a new you is a new pair of shoes." For a moment, one might think yes that will make me feel good. Advertisers are constantly appealing to our desire for fulfillment and happiness to sell their products. They offer lasting change with no guarantee. In fact, they know their products will fail to give us what we are searching for, they hope for it, so that we will buy the next fashion they introduce too. Nothing the world offers can give lasting transformation or a new you. The change and fulfillment that we desire can only be found in Christ. He makes all things new. The first step to a new you is prayer.
Prayer is a living relationship with God. It is the habit that marks the years, days, hours, and minutes, of holy men and women. Prayer is the bond that ties together every moment of our lives to give them meaning and purpose. Without prayer attempting to practice all of the other virtues becomes an impossible feat of one's own will because we lack the grace necessary for success. Our sanctification and the sanctification of the world depend on prayer.
To pray is to foster a relationship with God. Who are you closest to your life? How do you communicate with them? How often do you go a whole day without talking to that person? With the technology advances of our time we are almost constantly in communication via; social media, text messages, emails, facetime, etc. Texting has become a sure and easy way of communication for many of us. It is so easy that we rarely actually make a phone call.
My husband is the person that I am closest to in my life. He and I will text each other throughout the day. As best friends do, we will share exciting tidbits of information, frustrations, etc. It leads me to ask, what is my texting relationship like with God? If we want to have a real relationship with God, then we should be sending Him messages throughout the day. We can share with him tidbits of information, our needs, and our feelings. Sometimes when I receive a text message the sound my phone makes brings a smile to my face. Imagine the joy it could bring to our Lord if we interrupt the events of our day to send Him a quick message. When we give over every part of our day to His will, invite Him to be with us, and converses with Him about our feelings, it must bring a great smile to His face. In return, we experience joy as we are aware of His presence in our day and are actively pursuing His will in all we do.
Yet, are text messages enough to sustain a true and lasting relationship? I cannot imagine not sitting down with my husband at the end of the day to have an actual conversation. Little messages throughout the day are good, but in order to have an intimate and meaningful relationship, we have to spend time together and give our conversation time for depth. God longs for us to spend time alone with Him each day. Pope Francis said, "May we try to listen and be silent to make space for the beauty of God." God wants us to be still and allow Him time to speak to our hearts. He longs to hear more than just the happenings of our day, but the deepest desires of our hearts. When we take this time, we experience His beauty and he molds us to be reflections of that true beauty.
Continual prayer is to be both in the habit of "texting" God and having a daily in depth conversation with Him. Prayer is the way we draw nearer to the heart of God. It is through prayer that He whispers to us the secrets of our dignity and changes us to become the women He created us to be. Our relationship with God needs to take priority over all of the other relationships in our lives. A day should not go by that we don't grow closer to Him. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "Prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him" (2560). God is thirsting for us. Our hearts were created to be in union with Him, and in Him we will find the "new you" that we long for. In Him are transformation and fulfillment that are lasting. Prayer is the only step to transformation that has a guarantee.
Today's Challenge:
Evaluate your prayer life. Do you communicate with God throughout the day? Do you set time aside each day to be with God? In that prayer time do you do all the talking? Do you open the Scriptures and let God speak to you? What needs to change in your daily prayer lives? How can you take a step toward continual prayer? Don't overwhelm yourself with new commitments, but carefully commit to one new prayer habit you will take on.
Post where you can see it, "Continual Prayer: ongoing conversation with God."
Today's Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you are the greatest of all lovers and you long to have my heart. I thirst for You. There is a longing inside of me for fulfillment, for beauty, for peace, to live out a great plan. That longing is my thirsting for You, and it can only be fulfilled in a living relationship with You. Lead me to pray. Help me to pray more and to pray better. May I turn my eyes to You throughout my day. Help me to find time to sit down and be with you as well. Help me to change my prayer habits, to begin thirsting for You more. Amen.
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