I was talking to someone recently about how Christ forms habits of obedience in us as we make choices toward him. The more we create time for him, choose his way even in the small things, and resist old ways of sin, God’s life of faith becomes grows. We don’t always have to think “what would Jesus do?” Our obedience and reactions become reflexive. Part of this is creating a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s role in us. The other part is living day by day in obedience to Christ.
Can prayer also become reflexive and not simply reactive to situations? We need to learn to not simply pray out of tradition but more like the way our brain operates to move our fingers and toes. We don’t really think about it, we just do it. What does it take to reflexively pray our “pray continually” as the Bible encourages? Part of the solution is thinking and living life in the whole versus segmented parts. What I mean by this is that we can think of certain parts of the week or day as “God’s part”, such as Sundays or during our devotional time. In the same sense a good chunk of our week belongs to our work or our school. When we’re working we’re on “their time”. Then when we get home and have dinner and kick back its “our time”. The danger here is that we begin living like-to steal a phrase from Craig Gay- practical atheists. Our times of devotions, prayer, worship and church are on God’s time. But outside of this we can live like athiests or like God isn’t there and doesn’t exist. We believe and worship Christ as Lord, but in practice we can so easily exclude God from our lives and our decision-making.
The Bible warns us about paying lip service to God but having hearts that our far away. This might be painting a very broad picture but it can easily happen. Our secular world encourages this segmenting of our time and affections. If its not practical athiesm then it idolatry in all its subtle forms. The Old Testament called them “household gods”. We need to be on our guard and really battle in our minds to bring Christ into every area of our lives. In todays academic, institutional and professional world there is little to no reference to God or prayer anywhere. So its too easy to just have our brains and hearts on neutral as we go through the week. But when we do this we miss out on all God has to teach us, and how he can use us in the mission field of everyday life among others.
One thing we can do for reminders of God in the everyday is set up liturgies or spiritual habits and patterns. Years ago when I worked at Starbucks I would read a little section of Scripture at lunch and then pray this back to God. Another time in my life I asked God to wake me up so that I could have time with him. Sometimes this would be 3AM but whatever the time I found myself wide awake to pray! If he can raise the dead than he can give us grace for the need of prayer! I’ve begun writing down verses on 3×5 cards from my Bible reading and refering to the verse throughout the day using it as a prayer. Recently I use time in the car going to work to pray, worship and intercede for the souls of people who need Christ. As you purposefully practice God’s presence throughout the day, it just becomes more and more natural to pray as if it’s an ongoing conversation- which is what it becomes! The discipline of listening and hearing God’s voice is another part of prayer that makes it a true dialogue.
All these things come slowly. But the more you practice them the more God can shape you into his image and likeness. Unlike the world’s shaping process, God has our best in mind. As we come to him in humility and honesty he promises to draw near to us. And when I’m reminded of his love for me that never fails, it encourages me to keep praying and pressing into his presence. Eventually prayer becomes not just what we do but who we are inside. We become the lovers of God we were always made to be.
Phil Nelson