basic MINDFULNESS PRAYER
How much of your time do you spend tending to your relationships? How important are they? Likely your response is :
“I know my relationships are extremely important and I know I don’t spend enough time nurturing them, but I am so busy that I can’t help it.”
What about your relationship with God, your spirituality? If you are like most, this is typically relegated to a small number of scheduled encounters, such as church attendances or occasional prayer, again limited because of perceived time constraints.
You may find yourself ignoring – or worse – those people who are around you most often and who are of the highest value to you. You may be emotionally unavailable.
Certainly God is with you always and available for lifting your spirit and helping you with power and grace; yet you ignore this ,too, most of the time and – worse – at times think and act against the teachings and examples of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are not always available.
How do we live our faith in a distractible world filled with challenges and perpetual responsibilities?
Well of course time schedules need to be examined and choices made that balance your time, based on your established needs and values. You may have done that already.
The “answer” is both radical and obvious: be Mindful of God’s presence throughout the day. This does not require any more knowledge than you have now. It does not require any additional beliefs or doctrines. It doesn’t even require any significant additional time. In fact, Mindfulness, as we shall see, will assist you with daily obligations, increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Best of all, it will renew and dramatically deepen all your important relationships, particularly that with God. You will be more emotionally and spiritually available.
Well perhaps it’s obvious that this would be nice, but being radically different from your current practices, also is quite unclear how to obtain it in the midst of everyday practical responsibilities. How would it help get the laundry done?
Consider the following example of a “Mindfulness” or centering prayer:
Thank you God for this moment, help me to experience you in it.
This prayer said throughout the day can allow you to be spiritually available. First it centers you to the moment – where God is. Then it asks for help right now at this moment – the only moment you ever can be helped.
Simple prayer such as this Mindfulness Prayer, in its brevity and simplicity, is the fulfillment of Jesus' command that in praying we are (Matthew 6:7-8):
"not to heap up empty phrases as the heathen do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them.“
This does not need to take much of your time. In fact, after some practice, such a prayer does not have to be spoken, with each word articulated aloud or silently – it can be “felt” in an instant – a “grounding” in the presence of the Holy Spirit. If you are fully present during whatever it is that you are obligated to do (including the laundry), and you are filled with the Spirit of the Lord during that activity, could that be helpful? Could that allow you to be more productive, efficient, effective and ethical?
“I know my relationships are extremely important and I know I don’t spend enough time nurturing them, but I am so busy that I can’t help it.”
What about your relationship with God, your spirituality? If you are like most, this is typically relegated to a small number of scheduled encounters, such as church attendances or occasional prayer, again limited because of perceived time constraints.
You may find yourself ignoring – or worse – those people who are around you most often and who are of the highest value to you. You may be emotionally unavailable.
Certainly God is with you always and available for lifting your spirit and helping you with power and grace; yet you ignore this ,too, most of the time and – worse – at times think and act against the teachings and examples of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are not always available.
How do we live our faith in a distractible world filled with challenges and perpetual responsibilities?
Well of course time schedules need to be examined and choices made that balance your time, based on your established needs and values. You may have done that already.
The “answer” is both radical and obvious: be Mindful of God’s presence throughout the day. This does not require any more knowledge than you have now. It does not require any additional beliefs or doctrines. It doesn’t even require any significant additional time. In fact, Mindfulness, as we shall see, will assist you with daily obligations, increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Best of all, it will renew and dramatically deepen all your important relationships, particularly that with God. You will be more emotionally and spiritually available.
Well perhaps it’s obvious that this would be nice, but being radically different from your current practices, also is quite unclear how to obtain it in the midst of everyday practical responsibilities. How would it help get the laundry done?
Consider the following example of a “Mindfulness” or centering prayer:
Thank you God for this moment, help me to experience you in it.
This prayer said throughout the day can allow you to be spiritually available. First it centers you to the moment – where God is. Then it asks for help right now at this moment – the only moment you ever can be helped.
Simple prayer such as this Mindfulness Prayer, in its brevity and simplicity, is the fulfillment of Jesus' command that in praying we are (Matthew 6:7-8):
"not to heap up empty phrases as the heathen do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them.“
This does not need to take much of your time. In fact, after some practice, such a prayer does not have to be spoken, with each word articulated aloud or silently – it can be “felt” in an instant – a “grounding” in the presence of the Holy Spirit. If you are fully present during whatever it is that you are obligated to do (including the laundry), and you are filled with the Spirit of the Lord during that activity, could that be helpful? Could that allow you to be more productive, efficient, effective and ethical?