Seasons of Prayer

Life seems to flow so naturally in and out of seasons that we can't always pinpoint when one season ends and the next begins. Kind of like weather seasons--they have a start and end date, but in reality, the change is very gradual. So we gradually prepare for the next season by gathering all we might need and keeping it handy for when we might start to need it. 

And then sometimes you feel caught between seasons, not knowing how to dress or prepare for the next day or week. One day it's warm, the next a bit chilly, the next you're wearing a t-shirt, and then suddenly you need a jacket before going outside. Those in-between seasons are the hardest because you can't seem to settle in to any kind of rhythm. Rhythms bring peace, and without them we do not feel settled.

Our prayer lives go through seasons, as well. Sometimes we have a consistent routine of morning or evening prayers, asking God for daily guidance, confessing our sins, and lifting up people we love to the Father. Other times we spend a considerable amount of time on our knees, desperate to hear from God and see him at work in a particular situation. And yet sometimes we fall into a season of silence, where words just don't come or seem to be too much. Prayer gets hard and discouragement sets in. We feel like God is distant in those times.

I'm learning, though, to embrace this season of silent, near wordless prayer. Sometimes my mind gets so cluttered that I can't seem to form any kind of meaningful prayer. My heart is restless, and so I sit quietly and don't say a word. I go for a walk to spend time with God, and yet I never open my mouth to speak. It's in the silence that I can actually hear. Prayer isn't just talking to God. It's communication with God, and without any season of silence, we don't give God free reign to speak to our hearts. In order to hear from God, sometimes we just need to be still and let him talk. 

I like to be prepared at all times. Prepared for the heat. Prepared for the cold. Prepared for the rain, the snow, the ice, the fog. I have a sweater hanging by my computer at work, an extra hat and gloves in the car, an umbrella by the door, and sunglasses tucked away right by the driver's seat. I invest in them all ahead of time, but I would be silly to use them all every time I go anywhere. I don't need the sunglasses on a cloudy day, nor do I need my hat and gloves in the middle of a Texas summer. I pull each item out when I need it, and I put it safely back where it belongs when I don't. But I always keep those necessities within reach, especially for those in-between seasons.

It's the same with our seasons of prayer. I set up my prayer corner with everything I might need to have quality conversation with God. A journal, a pen, soft lighting, a Bible, books filled with Scripture prayers to pray in different seasons, devotionals, notecards, etc. Certain seasons call for journaled prayers, others beckon more time in Bible study, while others require a Scripture on a notecard that I can carry with me to pray throughout the day. Sometimes God impresses certain people on my heart to pray them through a hard season, so I write their names on a list in my journal that I bring before God every day. And then other times, I go for a walk, quietly surrender my day to God, and then walk for thirty minutes in absolute silence. And in that silence, God speaks to my heart, rearranges my thoughts, gives me fresh perspective. Whatever burdens my heart that day that I can't put into words, the Holy Spirit takes over and prays for me. 

Whether I journal, pray Scripture, read a list of names and requests to God, or just sit in silence in His presence, it's all communication with God. And it's all prayer. Rather than get discouraged that certain seasons of prayer seem more intentional than others, remember that seasons flow into each other so naturally that you may just be in-between seasons. Keep everything you might need close at hand, but let God lead the communication. 

I'm in a loud season of life right now and am having a hard time drowning out all the noise. Work demands more physical and mental energy right now, and family needs can feel so overwhelming. When I make time to spend with God, silence calms my heart and soul more than journaling or spoken prayer. Sometimes all I can do is vent and release what's on my mind and heart to God and then ask Him to rearrange it all so I can see His perspective. 

But I am excited and preparing for a quieter season when I can dig into this new prayer journal I found. A Bible reading plan, pages to fill with gratitude, a daily emphasis on praise, adoration, and confession, a place to document answered prayers and to write a list of continual prayers, a small folder to tuck away notecards, and a place to just reflect on life. All in one year long journal. I haven't opened it up yet because I feel God saying it's for another season. So for today, I wrote my list of gratitude, prayed Scripture over my family and friends, and I'll go for a walk later with God to just experience His presence out in nature and allow Him to speak to my heart in whatever way He chooses. Even if no words are exchanged, it's okay.