Prayer and Discernment
by the Rev. E. Kathleen Christopher, HealingWay Ministries
One of our most common errors in situations is to assume that we know the right answer even before praying about it. That is the plain message of the story about Joshua and the Gibeonite deception. Verse 14 of Joshua chapter 9 notes that "The men of Israel . . . did not inquire of the LORD." An assumption about the Gibeonites led to later troubles for the Israelites. No matter how clear a situation and choice may seem, we need to hold it up to the Lord, and be willing to let go of our own preconceived notions. Without prayer, we are no better off than non-Christians who lean on their own understanding. Walking into deception is not difficult. The Enemy whispers into our ear, "You can see clearly which is the correct path here . . . no need to bother the Lord with this one."
We do not have to beg the Lord to speak to us or to hear us. God is our loving Father who has already spoken through the Word, who continues to guide us by the Spirit, and who eagerly listens for the voices of his children. We are to approach the Lord knowing that nothing would give him greater pleasure than to fulfill the prayers of his children, voiced in accord with his will (Luke 11:1-13).
Preparing to pray
No matter how wronged each side in the Episcopal crisis may feel, none of us are sinless. Perhaps the greatest temptation for all of us is to behave like the self-righ-teous Pharisee in the temple who proudly prayed, "Thank you, Lord, that I am not like them" (Lk 18:9-14). The Lord prefers the company of a hundred abject sinners who know their true state than a thousand self-defined "holy ones" who do not.
So, the most important element in preparing to pray is to confess our sins and to forgive others who have sinned against us (cf. general confession in BCP p.360; Great Litany, BCP p.148). Scripture tells us that unconfessed sin and lack of for-giveness hinders prayers (Matthew 6:14-15; 1 Peter 3:7).
Prayer is conversation
Praying is conversation. Conversation is talking and listening. When the conversa-tion is with our Lord and Creator, it is best to begin by listening! Silence allows us to listen to the voice of God. Let the Lord reveal not only sins to be confessed, but also his perspective on a given topic or situation through his Word and Spirit.
Have Bibles available to follow the Holy Spirit's prompting to look at a particular passage or verse. One of the most powerful and effective ways to pray is by pray-ing Scripture. The Psalter is especially appropriate as the psalms are the original prayerbook of God's people.
The Enemy whispers into our ear, "You can see clearly which is the correct path here . . . no need to bother the Lord with this one. As with any conversation, no individual should dominate the discussion. Also, do not expect everyone to offer a spoken prayer on each topic or even during each meeting. If you are not comfortable praying out loud in front of others, please still participate-those also pray who offer their silent assent to the prayers voiced by others.
The apostle Paul admonishes the community of faith, "everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way" (1 Corinthians 14:40). Be sensitive to the ebb and flow of the group. A facilitator may help shepherd prayer meetings by indicating possible focal points for intercession and petition, and by starting and ending the meeting on time out of respect for people's schedules (people may linger of course as they are able).
After confessing, listening, and talking to God, close the prayer meeting by al-lowing another spell of quiet time in order to hear God's response to any requests. Consider making notes about and sharing insights and prayer directives received for the coming week.
Any guidance that proceeds from prayer needs to be confirmed firstly by Scripture, and secondly by tradition, experience, and reason. Within those parameters, allow the Lord to give different instructions to different people. There is to be no judg-ment or criticism if congregations or individuals discern different paths, as long as a path conforms to the whole witness of Scripture.
Guidelines for prayer meetings
It is recommended that a regular weekly schedule of prayer meetings be established during the 40 Days of Discernment; such prayer meetings would be in addition to weekend worship and 40 Days of Discernment small groups. A facilitator may graciously shepherd the group through an outline such as this:
- Prepare and confess
- Worship the Lord, as simply or elaborately as appropriate
- Listen to the Lord
- Talk to the Lord, focusing on different topics or concerns
- Hear the Lord's response to your requests, recording and sharing the Lord's direction for the coming days
- Leave in peace