“When was the last time you had a conversation with God?”
I had a Sunday School teacher ask that question one time.
And I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
My prayers up to that point mainly had been listing off a bunch of things I’m grateful for, followed by a bunch of stuff I want.
Which is fine!
But I also knew deep down that I was missing out on something more with prayers.
The idea of having an actual conversation with God during my prayers sounded interesting!
It’s what it really means to “commune”.
Talking with God in an intimate and personal way.
And so when the teacher suggested it, I decided to try it that night.
Instead of just talking, I also tried listening and responding.
It was an incredible experience.
Absolutely life-changing.
And it’s become something I’ve continued to try to include in my prayers ever since.
And I’ve improved so much, but I still have more work to do.
Jesus communed with God, too!
“And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, and had communed with God, he was afterwards an hungered, and was left to be tempted of the devil.” (Matthew 4:2, including JST)
Christ, our perfect example, left the crowds and His friends to be alone and commune with God.
What could we do better to make time to commune with God regularly?
Get up a little earlier? Stay up later? Set a specific time? Be more flexible?
Even when other people need and want our help…
I know that we can follow the Savior’s example to make it a priority to be alone and to commune with God.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
2 Responses
Actual conversations and communing with our Heavenly Father can be a very engaging process!! Prayer can and should be a “TWO WAY” conversation like any engaging and worthwhile exchange of the heart. Whether on the phone or in person, MEANINGFUL conversations usually involves a person speaking and the other listening but if one does all the Speaking and the other does all the Listening then the process becomes less than ideal. Such it is with our communication with our Father in Heaven in the Prayer process.
My Mission President related this experience to me regarding his family communication process. Due to the limited time Mission Presidents have even with their families, his time with his children became sacred and special moments. In his office or in their residence, he had TWO chairs. One of the chairs was always designated as a “Listening Chair” and the other as a “Speaking Chair” where he or the child would then take the appropriate chair and that role was respected and adhered to!!
Question: are we FULFILLING this communication process and PROVIDING our Father in Heaven the time to reply OR are we doing all the speaking and very little or zero listening? Our sacred prayers can and should be incredible opportunities for Inspiration, Guidance and filled with Instruction. I pray that it may ALWAYS be so!!!
I love this! Thank you for sharing!