“Prayer is the breath of your life which gives you the freedom to go and stay where you wish and to find the many signs which point out the way to a new land.”
-Henri Nouwen
Who taught you to pray? Who invited you into a deep relationship with God?
One of the constants in my life growing up was my grandmother. She was a force of nature who taught me so many lessons about life, about faith, and about myself. My childhood was steeped in the soundtrack of hymns and spirituals and the rituals of morning and evening prayers.
One vivid memory of my grandmother, whose name was Constance, was around my great uncle Tunnie. Uncle Tunnie had lived with us for a few years as his health declined and eventually he was too much for my grandmother to care for. She made the hard decision to place him in a nursing home. Uncle Tunnie died two weeks later. My grandmother was angry. After the funeral I remember her walking through the cemetery railing at God full force. She said some words that I didn’t even know she knew. But back at home later that evening she picked up her bible and her Book of Common Prayer and said her prayers.
To be in relationship with God, she taught me, you say your prayers. In good times, in bad times, in mundane boring times, on rainy Tuesdays, my grandmother said her prayers. She taught me that prayer is about changing me. Prayer is not about badgering God, but in bettering ourselves. Prayer is about deepening the relationship with God.
To be in relationship often means we must be about the business of prayer. The Apostle Paul invites us to, “pray without ceasing” inviting our whole lives to be prayer. Prayer is a deeply ingrained and universal human practice that transcends cultural, race, and spiritual boundaries. It is a form of communication with the divine, a way for each of us to express our innermost thoughts, emotions, and desires. At its core the act of prayer involves seeking solace, guidance, and connection with something greater than oneself.
In my experience prayer has often been a source of strength during difficult times, offering a sense of comfort and hope. In moments of joy and gratitude, prayer becomes an expression of thankfulness.
Some research suggests that regular prayer can reduce stress, improve mental well-being, and foster a sense of inner peace. It can also promote a sense of community when individuals come together in collective prayer, reinforcing social bonds, and connecting us more deeply to God and to each other.
Whether our prayers are for guidance, healing, forgiveness, or simply to connect with the transcendent God, prayer serves as a profound reminder of the human quest for a deeper connection meaning and connection to the mysteries of existence.
So perhaps as we struggle, as we celebrate, as we dream about what God is doing in our lives, in our communities of faith, in our often divided world, we may need to lean heavily into the practice of prayer. But be careful how you pray, because prayer will change you!