Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Contemplative Prayer

In this video i am going to teach about Contemplative Prayer which i learned from Emotionally Healthy Discipleship with Pete Scazzero. I worked with Pete Scazzero for 5.5 years. This can also be called contemplative prayer meditation. This way of praying in very counter cultural to our fast paced modern way of living. This will not be like the typical type of prayer you see in churches these days. Many of the things we are doing in churches these days are just not effective. We have many practices in churches that are just vain repetitions.

Contemplative prayer is one which uses silence and solitude. You don’t do a lot of talking. A matter of fact sometimes I don’t say anything at all. Prayer is a two way conversation. And for too many years I was having a one way conversation and doing all the talking. I was having a one way conversation with God. And to make matters worse i was praying like Jesus worked for me and he was my personal assistant. Soren Kierkegaard said "A man prayed and at first he thought that prayer was talking. But he became more and more quite until in the end he realized that prayer is listening".

A majority of times prayer in not meant to change God but for God to change us. Especially in everyday life and matters of Guidance. Let us not forget the great task of listening to God, listening to the Holy Spirit while praying. Jesus taught the concept on not praying long prayers for many words (Matthew 6). But i usually practice solitude and silence together and present myself to God with no agenda. I Just come before God looking to encounter him. I just want to spend time with him with no agenda. I bring my heart before him and look to share it with him. And him for share his heart with me. Sometimes i meditate on Rembrandt painting of the prodigal son. I am the prodigal and he is the loving father embracing me.

Sitting silently before the Lord takes time to get good at. Let me give you some tips. At first you will only be able to do 2-3 minutes. But as you practice you will be able to go longer. First start off by getting comfortable in a place with no distractions. Take a few deeps breaths to get yourself relaxed. Then just present your self to God, I am here Lord. Your mind will wonder at times. Then I simple use a phrase to redirect me “Here I am lord, Here I am”. Then i spend the rest of the time in silence. Sometimes God speaks to my heart. Sometimes he doesn't. I often find new clarity in my own inner voice and find great solutions to my problems. Sometimes i just take in his love and his presence. But sometimes nothing happens at all. I don't feel God, He doesn't speak. But keep doing prayer anyway even when you do not feel like it. Spending time with God is never a waste of time.