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Welcome to season 2 of the Determined to Dance podcast. I pray that you’ll be uplifted, encouraged, and will move forward each and every day. Today’s episode, Communicating Through Prayer, discusses what prayer is and what it isn’t.

Show Notes: Communicating Through Prayer

Here’s a great quote by E.M. Bounds. “Prayer should not be regarded as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty.”

I learned to talk to God as a child and teenager. I would lay in my bed at night and pour out my heart about the events of the day, my family, friends, and anything else I could think of. My faith was undeveloped but I believed God listened to every word. I felt like a child dancing on her daddy’s shoes.

Then I grew up, went to college, married, and had children. I still prayed and believed He heard me but I also started to worry. One person told me you should pray an hour a day. Another said to wake up before anyone else and pray. This one preacher said to lay your prayers before God at night. Then there is the verse that says to pray without ceasing. And what about the Lord’s prayer?

Somewhere, in my late 20’s, I began to take on a legalistic view of prayer. It became a duty; something I needed to do each day and do as right as possible so I could be heard. I mean, everyone depended on me. I had to get it right. Legalism grabbed hands with my perfectionism and basically threw me over a cliff. At times, I didn’t want to pray at all.

What happened? I lost sight of what prayer is. Our communication with God is not:

1. A Duty. It’s not a requirement, as E.M. Bounds pointed out. It’s a privilege.
2. A Formula. If I pray in a certain way for a specific time and use specific words, prayer becomes a formula and ceases to be a conversation.
3. We don’t tie God’s hands or make Him do anything by our prayers.

And to some degree, my prayers contained all of these elements. I’d forgotten how to talk to God like I did as a child. I knew the worry had to go and I needed to return to my first love. The simple, child-like relationship we had at the beginning.

So, what is prayer?

1. A privilege. Something to be enjoyed. A time of sharing hopes, dreams, and desires.
2. A conversation. I talk to God often. In the morning. While I’m driving. When I’m worried or stressed. Then I listen.
3. A time to release. We, humans, tend to bottle life inside, and letting it go to God is private and freeing.

How did I learn to talk and listen to God? One way was by noticing the way my husband and I communicated. Sometimes he talked. Often, I did. Back and forth with words about our day, our worries, our victories. We spoke through body language. Written notes. Phone calls. We’d finish each other’s sentences. Even a simple gesture is easily understood by someone you’re close to.

I want to listen to God the same way. Whether it’s a sermon, song, or thoughts of a child, I pay attention. Is God speaking in a specific way to me? Is He releasing a message through a minister, vocalist, or even a child? I figure if He can speak to Balaam through a donkey, then if He needs me to hear Him, I will.

But I need to pay attention.

Daily.

Hourly.

Minute by minute. Every year, since 1999, I seek God during the month of December for direction in the upcoming year. I ask for a word or phrase, a scripture, and a song to carry into the new year. One that would give me strength and comfort when needed. I simply ask while in prayer, then I start listening. My word for 2022 came in an email around the middle of December. The sender had ended it with a phrase something like, May love, peace, and light be yours. Nothing fancy.

But the word “light” jumped off the page. I knew deep inside at that moment that this was my word for 2022. Light in the darkness, for others, for my path. A perfect thought for our chaotic world.

I didn’t get weird or have to try harder to hear God. I seem to hear best when I relax, keep doing the last thing He told me to do, and stay close by His side.

Paul agrees in his letter to the Philippians. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

I give my requests, listen, and He brings peace. Just the way He did when I was a child and once again today.

Father God, thank you for being such a big God that You not only hear all of our prayers, but you answer us according to Your will. Help us to listen closely and understand when you are speaking, no matter who or what You’re speaking through. We long to communicate with You throughout our day. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.

Once again, God and I are dancing in a beautiful flow of prayer. You can too. His hand is outstretched. Are you ready? Next week, we’ll find out how to be a people of prayer.

Until then, stay determined to dance.

Click to tweet: Welcome to season 2 of the Determined to Dance #podcast. Today’s episode, Communicating Through Prayer, discusses what prayer is and what it isn’t. Do you know? #faith

Links:

My website

My debut novel, Jessie’s Hope

Balaam and the donkey

Remember: Communicating Through Prayer

Video of the week:

I absolutely love music and each week I’d like to share a relevant song we can enjoy together.