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In a hard time of my life, when I felt like God was far away, when I was angry with God, confused and doubting, prayer kept me going. When I couldn’t pray, people prayed for me. Even when I couldn’t see it, God was listening to me and others who prayed, answering the prayers in God’s own time.
Prayer is something that our culture doesn’t typically value, perhaps because it doesn’t seem productive. From an outsider’s perspective, spending time with God in prayer looks kind of like you’re doing nothing.
But Christian prayer isn’t nothing: It’s taking time to talk to God and listen for God’s voice and leading. The more time we spend talking to and listening for God, the easier it becomes for us to hear God’s voice and guidance in our lives. Prayer is a way we experience God’s love through Jesus Christ and hear the Holy Spirit’s nudges.
Prayer can easily fall by the wayside in our busy lives, but in times of trouble or calm, prayer is a lifeline to God. God wants to speak to us, hear from us, connect with us and show us love through prayer.
This message is excerpted from “The still, small voice” by Becca Ehrlich from the December 8, 2023, blog of the Women of the ELCA. Today we commemorate Lucy, martyr, 304.