Silent Prayer
Today, as the Underground, we come together in prayer and fasting. Every great move of God in the Bible and in history begins with Extraordinary Prayer and Fasting. From the other side of eternity, we will find that the most influential people were not, perhaps, Presidents or Prime Ministers but the people who walked with God through passionate prayer. This week we will focus our prayer and fasting on the theme of Silent Prayer
Look into God’s word and see what it says about silence and solitude. After reading the passages, sit with them for a few minutes. Let them speak to you. Try not to fast forward in your head, making plans, shifts, and changes. Just be still with God and His word.
Silence is praise before you, O God
-Psalm 65:1Be still and know that I am God
-Psalm 46:10Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.
-Psalm 37:7In repentance and rest is your salvation. In quietness and trust is your strength.
-Isaiah 30:15
After sitting with these passages for a while, write three or four sentences about your thoughts and impressions.
For God alone my soul in silence waits.
-Psalm 62:1
Silent Prayer is a gateway to deepening our relationship with God. And although we can offer you some simple guidelines, getting the method right is not all that important, so don’t be too caught up with it. Unlike learning skills in day-to-day life, your efforts are really not what is important. God knows that you are seeking God and will not judge you harshly for your faltering attempts.
God is looking at your love and your desire, and in time, you will be drawn into Silent Prayer by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The important thing is to sit there for the length of time that you have decided and to stick to it every day. If you can just sit there, then the Holy Spirit will make all your difficulties evaporate. The outcome of practicing Silent Prayer will be experienced more in daily life than in the period of Silent Prayer itself.
Be still and know that I am God.
-Psalm 46.10
Some Simple Guidelines
Sit comfortably with your back straight and with your eyes lowered or closed: however, not so comfortably that you encourage sleep, but to avoid thinking about any physical discomfort during prayer.
Spend a few moments preparing for your period of prayer. Consciously relax, and let the tensions drain away from your body.
Be aware of the natural rhythm of your breathing but do not force it.
Consciously consent to God’s presence and action within you. Give him your “Yes.”
You might find it helpful to choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention. Examples of the sacred word would be: “Amen,” “Lord,” “Jesus,” “Abba,” or “Yahweh.” A simple, inward, sacred gaze upon God may be more suit- able for some people than the sacred word. Gently gaze inwardly, without hurrying or, if preferred, gently introduce your sacred word.
Let the word rock to the breath that you breathe; neither hold on to it nor focus upon it. If it fades away, let it go. The word is there to serve you, to carry you to that inner place where you can rest in God.
Wandering thoughts are a normal part of the silent prayer experience. Take a “friendly” attitude towards them during the time of prayer. When you realize that you are engaging in thoughts, this is the time to renew your intention by returning to the sacred word with patience and very gently. In so doing, you are performing an act of love, a renewal of your commitment to be in relationship with the Beloved.
It is our sincere intention to be in God’s presence at this time; that is important and is at the heart of this practice of Silent Prayer.
In Silent Prayer, thoughts are never viewed as a failure, something to struggle against, or something to control. They are part of the process and are normal. And what is more, they contribute to unloading the wounds of life, allowing God to heal these wounds and free us from the emotional debris of a lifetime. So as a guideline for dealing with our thoughts, and to help you to remember not to struggle against thoughts, we suggest the FOUR R’s:
Resist no thought
Retain no thought
React emotionally to no thought
Return, ever so gently, to the sacred word.
The practice of Silent Prayer is one of continual growth and a deepening of our relationship with God. The single most effective way to do this is through fidelity to this practice. Our period of Silent Prayer is a time in which we do nothing and say nothing, only breathe the breath ofGod within. Your life is lived within Christ, and the prayer of Christ is prayed within you. Within you, God loves his Son, and the Son returns that love to his Father, and in their love, you are held.
At the end of the prayer period, remain silent with your eyes closed for a few minutes. This will give you time to readjust to the world around you and enable you to carry the atmosphere of peace and inner stillness into daily life.
Drop thy still dews of quietness, Till all our striving cease; Take from our souls the strain and stress, And let our ordered lives confess The beauty of thy peace.
-J.G. Whittier