I’m so glad you pressed Oord on prayer! I’ve been asking myself and praying about those same questions since reading his and Mark Karris’s book on conspiring prayer. I think they’re on to something-they’re close, but not quite all the way there yet. We’ve got to keep asking, seeking and knocking! 💗
Yes! I love that they have stretched me so far ... I guess I'm just trying to figure out how I pray to this kind of God. I'm actually OK with a God who can't because as I mentioned above, the alternative is somewhat horrifying to me - a God who can stop rape and murder and all sorts of things, but just chooses not to. But at the same time there's something in me that still hopes he can? I don't know! So many thoughts, but that's why it's a journey. Mark once told me that it doesn't really matter what I believe in my head as much as just sharing with God what's in my heart. And so as long as my prayer is heartfelt, there's nothing wrong with asking God to do something even if my brain is wrestling with whether or not he can.
Yep! That’s about where I am too. I find that when I wait and pray after I’ve “centered” down, even briefly, I can connect with God and hopefully pray with and not at. God desires intimate relationship with the objects of his relentless love, not to be treated like a divine slot machine. For me it’s a whole new mindset and light years away from my “word of faith” background.
Yes, I grew up with that background too. One of my favorite ways to pray recently is just to sit and be quiet. I think prayer is much more about the awareness of being connected than it is about the words we speak.
I’m so glad you pressed Oord on prayer! I’ve been asking myself and praying about those same questions since reading his and Mark Karris’s book on conspiring prayer. I think they’re on to something-they’re close, but not quite all the way there yet. We’ve got to keep asking, seeking and knocking! 💗
Yes! I love that they have stretched me so far ... I guess I'm just trying to figure out how I pray to this kind of God. I'm actually OK with a God who can't because as I mentioned above, the alternative is somewhat horrifying to me - a God who can stop rape and murder and all sorts of things, but just chooses not to. But at the same time there's something in me that still hopes he can? I don't know! So many thoughts, but that's why it's a journey. Mark once told me that it doesn't really matter what I believe in my head as much as just sharing with God what's in my heart. And so as long as my prayer is heartfelt, there's nothing wrong with asking God to do something even if my brain is wrestling with whether or not he can.
Yep! That’s about where I am too. I find that when I wait and pray after I’ve “centered” down, even briefly, I can connect with God and hopefully pray with and not at. God desires intimate relationship with the objects of his relentless love, not to be treated like a divine slot machine. For me it’s a whole new mindset and light years away from my “word of faith” background.
Yes, I grew up with that background too. One of my favorite ways to pray recently is just to sit and be quiet. I think prayer is much more about the awareness of being connected than it is about the words we speak.