July 29th, 2021: God's Presence and Our Prayers


A young high school student asked me recently about how we know that God is with us. It was in the context of prayers. It is a common question that many people have. How can we be sure that God is there when we pray? Maybe the question should be the other way around. How do we know that we long for His presence when we pray? What is our real motivation in praying?

We need to be aware of our pride. Pride can be a damaging barrier between God and us. It takes away our freedom to hear Him because we are so preoccupied with ourselves and our own issues. Pride also makes our hearts callous towards the suffering of others. A callous heart cannot feel what God feels. It is held captive by things that are outside God. A humble heart yields to the Heart of God.

James 4: 6 - "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud  but shows favor to the humble."

We need to learn how to slow down so we might hear God. It is about taking the time to contemplate life. It is the time to be quiet so that we can experience the stillness of our souls. When we are perturbed by life, it is difficult to hear God. There is so much noise in our heads that it is easy for us to get confused. We also need to encounter ourselves in our moments of stillness. It is not about asking God to change the world. It is about having the willingness to let God transform our heads and minds.

Psalm 62:5 - "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him."

We need to learn how to be free in the knowledge of His grace and power. We should not be seeking after the things of this world in our prayers because we are attempting to limit God by doing that. Our minds have to be about the big picture that God has in mind for us. Our prayers have to make us uncomfortable. We might discover that God is asking us to consider things that we have been avoiding. His presence does not grant us a false sense of comfort. We will move forward with a renewed strength and clarity.

Isaiah 40: 3--31 - “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

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