Good morning, Ladies. Ready for the next level of our series on prayer? Bear with me on this one, because at first it isn't going to sound like praying in the traditional sense. But, then, one of your biggest issues with prayer (as I've gathered from your comments) is not getting distracted when you pray in that traditional sense. So, again, bear with me. Hopefully this will lead you further along on that labyrinth.
We've been talking about just chatting with God as you fold laundry or straighten your hair or swim laps. It's usually fairly easy to keep a conversation going when your hands are busy. This didn't occur to me when I was writing that post, but the best (and sometimes only!) talks I had with my mother were when she was washing and I was drying the dishes. Go figure.
But what happens when you're alone with somebody and you're just kind of there? Like riding in a car on a long drive or sitting in a doctor's office waiting room? It can get really awkward, especially if the other person isn't saying anything. I think that's often what happens when we try to have quiet time with God. It's not like God is keeping up a constant flow of conversation topics, at least for many of us. We end up doing most of the talking and half the time we're not even sure God is there.
But think about what happens when you and a friend or a bunch of your buds see a really great movie. You turn it off, gather around a pizza or pass out the sodas and you talk about it. Like, for hours. One of my favorite things in life is to go to the theatre or a good film with friends and then go out for coffee after and discuss our take on it. The same with reading the same book and then getting together to share our thoughts, or having a party and staying up with a few people after everyone else leaves and reviewing what a blast we had. Those conversations just take off because we're all focused on the same thing. My granddaughter can't put sentences together yet, but when we share an experience like the zoo or a boat ride, her vocabulary grows by five or six words. (Just so you know, at nineteen months she can say "elephant" and "meerkat". Just sayin' . . .)
The same thing happens when we have a focus in our time with God, and Scripture forms the perfect one. I'm going to give you an example, and I hope it (a) helps you with that whole labyrinth-state- of-sin-thing and (b) shows you how just about any passage from the Bible can be a conversation starter with God. It is, after all, God's, uh, word, so there's that.
Okay, the passage we're going to work with is Joshua 8:1-22. It's one of those stories I used to really have a problem with. God sends Joshua and the Israelites into these towns and has them kill everybody off and take over. Yeah, yeah, I know it was to establish his people in the Promised Land, but women and children? Really? That was before I realized that the meaning we're to get from such stories has more than one level. This one can take us someplace deeper than the massacre of entire civilizations.
As I was praying with this passage, it came to me that the town of Ai represents one of those obstacles between me and God -- that State of Sin we've been talking about. The obstacle has to be destroyed. I can't just live beside it and be influenced by it every day. So, Question #1 for you:
What's the biggest obstacle separating you from God right now? You might want to ask him what it is. Now there's a concept!
But God says to Joshua, don't go in there and just attack or that obstacle is going to attack back. How many times have you tried to knock that thing down that separates you from God and it just keeps bouncing back up? Will power isn't all it's cracked up to be. God tells Joshua he's going to have to be cunning.
How many times have you tried to knock that obstacle down by just saying you're going to? How many times have you failed to make that happen?
God tells Joshua to act like he and the army are going to attack, and when the people of Ai come out to fight, Joshua and his men are to flee. As in, turn tail and run. Obviously the Ai soldiers will come after them, leaving the city unprotected. The rest of Joshua's men are to then easily go in and take the city and burn it to the ground.
So what does that mean in our metaphor? That was the question I asked God in my conversation with him. This is what I got.
* You have to rely on God to show you how to defeat the obstacles that stand between you -- whether you're talking being strung out on a guy, feeling jealous because someone else is getting the roles, positions, whatever that you think you deserve more, or fearing the next big thing (going away to college, starting public school, etc.).
Have you actually asked God HOW to remove that obstacle?
* That usually involves flushing the obstacle out into the open, out of its hiding place. You pray for honesty instead of denial. For self-knowledge rather than blaming other people. For strength and courage instead of self-pity and whining. Then you can see it for what it really is. That guy is worth all this angst, really? Seriously, that leading role is more important than your integrity and friendships? You're going to let fear of failure hold you back from going where God has exciting experiences waiting for you?
If you bring that obstacle out into the open and look at it in the light, what does it really look like? Do you have the guts to really flush it out and look at it?
* Once it's out of hiding, you have the chance to go in and destroy the hiding place. That obstacle was concealing itself behind low self-esteem (y'know, like not accepting the fact that God LOVES you) or a skewed sense of what makes you valuable or the mistaken belief that everything is up to you. Praying for God to help you with THAT makes it impossible for that obstacle to return.
What's really behind that obstacle? Really, really.
* Meanwhile, the people of Ai who were chasing the Israelites found themselves surrounded by the soldiers who had just burned their city and the very people they were going after, who now turned on THEM. With that obstacle out in the open with no place to go, you can pick it off so easily. Self-hatred, jealousy, fear -- forget about it. Yet would you have thought of that on your own? It took a focus on what God has already said and a conversation about it that applies it to you and your situation. It took prayer.
What can you pray to God for help in surrounding that obstacle so it doesn't stand a chance?
So here's the deal. When you and God sit down to have quiet time together, a passage of Scripture becomes like a movie the two of you have just seen. You see it. You ask God questions about it. You go deeper to see if there's a metaphorical level. You ask God how it applies to your life. You respond emotionally -- "God, really, this isn't making any sense!" or " This whole passage ticks me off and I don't know why!" or "God, why am I about to cry after reading this?"
Suddenly you're in a conversation. You're open to answers which may come to you in unexpected ways. You're into it, while the rest of the world continues to do its thing for that half hour. But you re-enter the world changed in the tiniest way. All those tiny ways add up over time. Trust me -- I've had hundreds of those tiny times in my long life and they do change you. They do.
So what do you say we all try another passage, something you can focus on in a talk with God. Just read it, ask God for a deeper meaning than what's on the surface, see if it applies to you at all, and listen for what it tells you. It may tell you -- "this doesn't resonate with where you are right now" and that's okay. Sometimes what comes up in the Lectionary makes my eyes glaze over, and then six months later when it comes up again, I think, "Where has THIS been?"
Ready to give it a shot? Let's all read I Samuel 1:1-18. Have a conversation with God about it, just like we've done here, and share any insights you have. There are no right or wrong answers, and there is no ONE way to interpret this passage. Remember, we're going beneath the surface, so use it as a focus for you and God and see what happens. I personally can't wait for the results!
Two reminders: (1) email me your photo or artwork for the new banner above (see previous post) and (2) email me if you helped with The Whole Guy Thing so I can send you a copy!
Blessings,
Nancy Rue
This sounds like a fantastic idea. I will definitely do this tonight!
Posted by: Melody | 07/26/2012 at 09:45 AM
WOW! Definatly needed this today.
Currently one of my biggest obstacles is overcoming my past. I'm dealing with memories of things that happened, with my eating disorder trying to creep back into my life. I was in denial, and still am in some aspects of my life. Though I have been working towards finding healing and recovery, I still am in denial and it isn't yet out in the open.
Posted by: Alisha | 07/26/2012 at 11:56 AM
I am definitely going to try this. I think everybody already know what my biggest obstacle is now. Like Alisha, I have to keep remembering that I am a new creation. But it is SOOOOO hard.
Posted by: Destini4Told | 07/26/2012 at 12:31 PM
I agree with Alisha and Destini, one of my big obstacles is overcoming my past. For some reason I just can't seem to let go and move on. The stupid things I've done color the way I see myself. I really just don't know how to move on and stop blaming myself. I guess I need to ask God how to forgive myself and stop looking back. I'm going to try this assignment as soon as I get a min, it seems like it will be really helpful.
Posted by: Therese | 07/26/2012 at 01:12 PM
oh my goodness, you dont know how much i needed that post- I LOVED it- sooo good. I'm totally going to do that.
Also, I will read the passage and also take a photo.
Thank you sooo much
Posted by: kate s | 07/26/2012 at 05:22 PM
Ok WOW! Like others have said, I really needed this today. I'm sorry I haven't been here in like forever, but I have read most of the posts. Life is just super crazy and busy right now. I feel distant from God,confused with life, stressed with decisions and lonely. I don't wanna sound like a whiner but please pray for me.
I really like this take on spending time with God, I'm definatly gonna do the reading.
Thank you so much everyone, and thank you so much mrs. Rue! I appreciate this so much!
Posted by: Mimi | 07/27/2012 at 01:33 AM
So I didn't get the chance to do this last night. We're hosting two british teenagers who are in a touring choir so I stayed up late with them.
Anyway, Therese, Alisha, Destini, and anyone who said the past was a big obstacle: I was exactly the same way for a long time. Every time I prayed this long reel of everything I've ever regretted was suddenly playing in my head and I just couldn't couldn't around how unworthy I felt. I'm happy to say that now this is not as bad a problem for me. It took a lot of conscious focused effort for me, but here's what I did. I journalled a lot on everything that was making me feel guilty. I tried to see whether I could have changed anything or whether I could do anything about it now. That done I either did what I could now, or made a vow to myself and to God that I regretted it, but I knew He forgived me, and that if I was ever in a similar situation I would try to do what I knew was right. Now when I start feeling guilty of something I take a minute to reflect, and then tell myself everything that God thinks of me "I am loved, I am forgiven, I am important, etc." Praying for everyone.
Posted by: Melody | 07/27/2012 at 08:37 AM
Just saw it on Facebook; Happy birthday Mrs. Rue!
Posted by: Melody | 07/27/2012 at 08:39 AM
So this is going to be my third comment in a row. Sorry about that, but in the Bible study I'm doing with some people from my church we're reading the book of Nehemiah. Long story short, the Jews were in exile but Nehemiah got permission to go back and rebuild the city and then a lot of the Jews could come back. They'd been away for a long time though and forgot about God's teachings, so after rebuilding one of the first things they did was have a reading of God's Law and they were all really emotional.
Here's what my Bible study book (by Kelly Minter) said: "When the people were reminded of all that God had intended for them in the Law, they were overwhelmed by how greatly that had failed. When God's Word takes center stage and we begin to see the chasm between where we are and where we are supposed to be, some serious grieving and weeping results. God, however, in His magnificent grace, oversaw leaders who essentially told the people, "There's a day for mourning, but today is not that day!" Their words were like a warm blanket to the Jewish souls chilled by guilt and regret. Words like still, calm, joy, strength, choice food, sweet drink. Sounds like grace to me."
I know this is long, but it really made me think of all you girls saying how you've felt guilty and have regrets. I've been the exact same way and still am sometimes, just remember, God's always there and ALWAYS loves you.
(If you want the whole Nehemiah story, its really good. The part I'm specifically talking about is Nehemiah 8:1-12)
Posted by: Melody | 07/27/2012 at 10:29 AM
Happy birthday Mrs. Rue! Hope you have a lovely day :)
Hands down, my biggest obstacle right now is my lack of trust. I never thought I'd be one of those people who whines, "Why me?" and gets angry at God when something goes wrong. But more and more, I feel like I'm losing the feeling that everything's going to be okay because 'there's a reason for everything.' Does that make any sense? For instance, I'm going to be a senior next year and not one of my many unsaved friends has come to Christ. I mean, I've been praying for them for so long and nothing has happened. I'm starting to lose my trust in Him, that He'll save them somehow. Also, I found out yesterday that my mom had another miscarriage a year ago, and she didn't even tell me because it would've upset me. I AM upset (a lot!), and I'm just wondering why God would let something like that happen. I'll probably be just fine in a week or so (once I can move on from this), but right now I just feel confused and a little upset at God.
Posted by: Katie | 07/27/2012 at 11:06 AM
Happy Birthday Mrs. Rue!
Posted by: Alisha | 07/27/2012 at 12:21 PM
Can I have your email too Therese?
Posted by: Destini4Told | 07/27/2012 at 02:31 PM
Happy Birthday Mrs. Rue! :D I hope your day is awesome!
Melody, thanks for sharing that with us, I'm really going to think about what you wrote, I want to let go and stop feeling guilty.
Katie, yes, that does make sense, I know the feeling. I'm sorry about your mother's miscarriage, I'm praying for you.
Mimi, praying for ya, I know that feeling too.
Destini, its tbob.doodledo@gmail.com
I read in 1 Samuel 1:1-18 last night and talked it over with God. The thing that really stood out to me was that when Hannah was praying, just mouthing the words and the man (I forget who he was) came up to her and accused her of being drunk she humbly corrected him. My first instinct on hearing his accusation was "How dare he!" But hers was a gentle correction, telling him that this was not the case. I guess it showed me how much I really am proud, maybe not on the outside but inside of I have such a rebellious attitude when people tell me what to do.
Posted by: Therese | 07/27/2012 at 02:58 PM
Girls, my sister is turning 13 on Sunday and I'm pretty sure she's going to join the teen blog. I don't think I can continue to come on here and share openly knowing that she's reading it. I hope you all understand. My sister is awesome and I love her, I know you will too. Who knows maybe I'll feel comfortable sharing some or maybe I'll just pop in once in a while, but I guess after this week, its goodbye. Its killing me to leave you girls, I love you so much and I don't want to go away but I don't know what else to do. If any of you girls want to keep in touch you can email me anytime, I posted it above. I'm really going to miss you, but I'll still read the posts and the comments. I'm praying for you all! <3
Posted by: Therese | 07/27/2012 at 04:02 PM
Don't go Therese!! You can still be with us!! Just maybe not talk about the things you wouldn't want her to know.
Posted by: Destini4Told | 07/27/2012 at 07:42 PM
Therese we don't want you to leave! Maybe you can explain to your sister that you wouldn't feel comfortable sharing something with her and maybe she'd be willing to stay at the tween blog for a little bit longer? I hope you can stay.
Posted by: Melody | 07/27/2012 at 08:51 PM
Destini and Melody, I'll try to make sure I pop in and comment once in a while and I'll still read the posts and the comments. I'm going miss you guys too, all of you, so much, but like I said I might be around here once in a while and maybe I'll just comment regularly to say hi. Destini, I don't really do google+ so if you want to talk you can email me personally. :)
Posted by: Therese | 07/28/2012 at 10:51 AM
Happy belated birthday Miss Rue! Hope you had an awesome day!!! Such a great post, well done!
Praying...for praying!
Posted by: Kindal | 07/28/2012 at 11:42 AM
So I managed to find time to read the passage and talk it over with God. A few things stuck out to me about how Hannah approached praying and God. I feel like she was probably internalizing all of her pain for a long time since wives were supposed to make their husbands happy, but finally she just couldn't do it anymore. Then she took all of those out-of-control, painful emotions straight to God. She didn't wait until she figured out just the right words to sound eloquent. She didn't wait for a priest to pray for her or give her advice. She went straight to God. I'm definitly guilty of waiting to go to God until I think I already have a plan mostly figured out or until I've talked to a real person who can pray for me. I need to go straight to God because he loves me more than any other person ever can.
Posted by: Melody | 07/28/2012 at 12:46 PM
Happy birthday Miss Rue!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't realize it was so soon after mine!
Girls, do you remember when the Whole guys things posts were posted?
My biggest obstacle is distractedness. My mind is constantly wandering. I have a notebook (a pretty one, that is SO me of course!) and every night or whenever I have time I write prayers in it. It helps me keep my focus on what I'm doing, it isn't perfect because I still find my mind on Jupiter, but it is a lot better.
Also I went to a camp this summer with my family and the speaker was focusing on Ephesians. One part was on praise and prayer. The devil is allergic to praise and worship. That is why when you are totally focused on singing the song or listening to it you don't feel like ripping your little brothers hair out.So Satan hates and runs from praise.
He also said that every time you start to pray the Devil wants to come and put up distractions of every kind; headaches, phone, text, growling stomach, and my fave one though its still distracting, Hiccups!
That has made me realize that I'm really not as hungry as I sound, its just a trick to keep me from praying.
Just keep praying, and try to ignore the craziness of Hiccups! :)And listen to worship music a lot more!
Luv U girls!
Posted by: God's Girl/Abi | 07/28/2012 at 03:47 PM
Happy birthday!!!
Posted by: May | 07/29/2012 at 12:00 AM
This is probably the strangest prayer request ever. So, when I got home from church today I had a facebook message from some random girl who informed me that she was related to a girl who's been coming off and on to youth group. Apparently this girl went home today saying that I'd said something offending about being gay. I mentioned the current Chick-Fil-A controversy and how it was ridiculous how people apparently weren't allowed to have an opinion if someone else disagreed with it. I don't remembering saying much else but the chick who messaged me was going on about how hateful my comment was and how hurt the girl was. I feel really bad that anyone was hurt, but I really don't think I said anything hateful. Please just pray that this whole thing will be resolved quickly and easily.
Posted by: Melody | 07/29/2012 at 01:37 PM
Wow, Melody, that's rough. I'll definitely be praying for you. My (non-Christian) friends and I were talking one day about what we would do if we were God for a day, and I mentioned something about getting rid of abortion. My friend looked shocked and annoyed. It's amazing how easily some people can get offended and how broadly they define "hate." I'm always really proud when someone our age sticks up for what they believe in :) Good for you!
Posted by: Katie | 07/29/2012 at 05:07 PM
Hey girlies! By now, I'm sure this will sound like a broken record, but sorry I haven't commented for a while! I just got through the busiest portion of my summer, but I've kept up with posts and such. I'm praying for every single one of you, for prayer troubles and each of the struggles you girls are facing. And happy (belated) birthday, Mrs. Rue!! I hope it was wonderful and that God has another amazing year in store for you :)
Wow, like many of you girls said, this post was sooooo what I needed recently! I used to go through readings like this a lot, but for some reason, I just kind of... stopped. But seriously, I learned more about myself going through these with God than I have in the last few years put together!
It took me a good stretch of wrestling in prayer to be completely honest with myself and get to the heart of what is keeping me from God. I guess you could call it pride; the thing is, pretty much my whole life has revolved around achievements. My parents have always taught me to do my best at whatever I do, but I've let my mind turn that into "be THE best". I always feel like I need to be on top, at soccer, in school, and if I'm not, I'll make up excuses for myself. And sadly, that's carried over into my relationship with God. I feel like if I'm not sparkling white, the very incarnation of piety and love and prayerfulness, then I shouldn't yet go to God. I make excuses and put it off. And it's this huge internal battle, because I'm striving for this crazily high standard, but deep inside, I know that I won't reach it on my own, so I become lazy and dejected and think, "Why even bother trying?" But in the Samuel reading, Hannah doesn't hesitate. There she is, seemingly a failure to Peninnah because she cannot bear children, a woman's primary way to earn status and success. She was definitely not THE best, and must have constantly compared herself to Peninnah. But the thing that makes her different from me is that she had a firm grasp of where her worth comes from: God's infinite love for her. So that's where she turned in her time of despair. She wasn't perfect, she wasn't whole - in fact, she was such a mess that Eli thought she was drunk! But still, she came before God, knowing that only His love could make her whole and fulfill her heart's longing. Could God speak to me any more clearly??
Goodness, I did not mean to write this much... but I'm so glad to have heard God after it has seemed so long since I heard Him like this, I just couldn't help myself! Praying for all you girlies, and I love all of you so much!
Love and Blessings,
*Rachel*
Posted by: *Rachel* | 07/30/2012 at 10:35 AM
Ok, so I just read the most amazing thing on prayer yesterday, and though I might ruin it when I try to type it all out and share it with you guys, I'm going to try. So basically it said that you know those moments you have when your heart is so full you're just like "OK, God, you know my thoughts and my heart, uh take them and do something with them." I've been guilty of this far too many times myself. But this was the thing, shouldn't we at least be bothered to articulate our feelings? If we were talking to our best friend, you can be sure we'd take the time and try and explain how we're feeling. Even if we didn't know the exact words, we could at least say something like "I'm feeling sad because of this, or angry because of this, or desperate because of this." Even if it's not exactly how we feel, it's a start. It's trying to keep up your end of the relationship. And that's what life with God is, isn't it? It's a relationship, talking back and forth. Even if He does already know our feelings, what is it saying about us if we take that for granted and just say, "Oh well, you know it already so I'm not even going to be bothered to try and figure it out."
That just totally changed the way I looked at prayer, because what is it saying about me when, well since God already knows it anyway, I can't be bothered to articulate my feelings.
Hope I didn't screw that up too bad!
Posted by: Alisha | 07/30/2012 at 11:42 AM
Sorry I haven't posted in a bit prayin for everyone and happy belated birthday Mrs Rue 🎁🎉🎈:)
Recently I haven't been too close to God and sometimes I feel like the question should be what isnt the obstacle. This post really helped me today :) I love being able to come to this blog it amazing it seems to be the thing that gives me strength and support when I need it thanks everyone:D
Love the pic sooo cute :)
Posted by: Amy | 07/31/2012 at 07:45 PM