Forgetting to Say Amen
Quick book info! “Stories From the Sidelines” is going to be here so soon. You can preorder now and get it right on release day! Ok, read on for the post.
The past month (and 11 days) has been quite something. In addition to the usual work schedule:
We celebrated the Fourth of July by making Turkish lamps from a kit (not thematic, but it was fun!).
An Italian tall ship came to town.
A last-minute road trip took me to places on the West Coast I’d never visited.
There was also cat-sitting for a friend, more edits to “Stories From the Sidelines,” a game night at church, and an art night with friends. I organized my closet, read “Lessons in Chemistry,” and volunteered at a neighborhood center event. And while these things sound fabulous (and they were), I also worried about Yoshi’s health as an aging pup requires more care, handled my meds as depression shifted to mania, balanced a budget, and dealt with day-long water shut-offs during apartment plumbing repairs.
Did you see what was missing from that list?
Once again, I frequently neglected to notice God.
I’m not talking about the discipline of regular Bible-reading, sit-down-and-pray sessions, or starting the day with “quiet time.” Those things are great, but this is about the essential practice of including God in the everyday stuff.
That looks different for us all, because our lives are so varied. For me, it’s intentionally incorporating 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Confession: Being silent, still, and solely focused on prayer for long periods of time is extremely difficult for me. Scattered notes in my journal become letters to God or I utilize prayer beads with colors that correspond with categories of prayer. When my mind inevitably wanders, I can find my place again.
But there’s a different approach that Paul writes about to the church in Thessalonica. When I read “continually,” I ask,
“What if we never said ‘amen?’”
Our prayers can pause and pick up again as we speak and listen throughout the day. Since God never leaves us, doesn’t it make sense to talk to Him during everything? It doesn’t always need to be an in-depth conversation. Just like we converse with friends and co-workers: sometimes at length and other times briefly. We have our heart-to-hearts with the Lord and also interjections of rejoicing and thankfulness. We can discuss our fears in the moment and ask for help the instant we’re uncertain. What if we simply pointed out how beautiful the sunset is (is it appropriate to want to high-five our Creator for a job well done)? Would it make a difference in our prayer lives if we rehashed a meeting at work, coffee with a friend, or anything else we would chat about with a fellow human?
Yet, all the recent happenings have distracted me. It seems easy to look away from God, secure that He’s always there, and then forget to turn back to Him again. And when we finally pay attention, it might feel like catching up with a loved one we haven’t seen for so very long.
This isn’t a step-by-step tutorial where I reveal the secret to a consistently dedicated prayer life. I’m still trying to figure that out, too. But I write this to you as….
A reassurance- If you feel this way, too, you’re not alone and there’s no condemnation.
A recognition- When we shine a light on this, we turn toward God and He helps us grow.
A reminder- Perhaps this is an “oh yeah!” moment for you, too.
and
An encouragement – It’s easy to restart right now. Pause reading and tell Him anything. We don’t have to be fixated on what our prayer habits lack, but instead renew our intentions going forward. We get unlimited start-overs. I have a feeling that every time God hears from us, He’s delighted.
Dear friend, we’re navigating all of this together, and I’m thankful that we can share our struggles as well as hope. When our walk with Christ also becomes a car ride with Christ, a trip to the grocery store with Christ, a cleaning house with Christ, or wherever our days find us, we can rejoice, talk with Him continually, and give thanks in it all.