Talk Less, Pray More
The last several weeks, I’ve found myself in lots of meetings all over the city. Some have felt more meaningful than others, but I’ve noticed something about myself—at times I can talk a lot. Some will not be surprised at this.
I’m an introvert by nature, so the fact that I can be a “run at the mouth” kind of guy is a little unusual. Someone once said, “We occasionally stumble over the truth, but usually jump up and hurry off as if nothing has happened.” Perhaps that was true of me this morning. I heard myself filling the air with thoughts that normally just rotate in my head. My buddy, a good listener, processed internally, but those long pauses seemed to provoke more words from me. Before I knew it, our time was finished and I had taken the lion’s share of the conversation. I sheepishly said, “I guess I had a lot to say, sorry about that.”
In truth, I think I was less comfortable with the silence than was my friend. You know, that dead space between thoughts that scream to be filled? Rather than pause and reflect, as my friend did, my words took over. It felt nice, but I can’t remember what I said, and I bet my friend doesn’t, either.
Contrast that with another day driving in my car. I was praying in the spirit under my breath, a practice I often have while driving; not really focused on anything in particular, just driving and praying on autopilot. Suddenly, I was hit with a wave of emotion, and the face of a man I had recently met popped to mind. I felt I should pray for him right then, so I aimed my heart accordingly.
A few minutes later, I turned into my driveway and parked, still praying. I scrolled through my contact list to see if I had his number. Finding an email, I clicked out a message, unpacking the contents of my prayer in the form of a blessing. Hoping he wouldn’t think I was nuts, I opened, “Hey, remember me?” Incredibly, he replied almost immediately, stating how remarkable it was that my email arrived when it did. He was depressed and had been contemplating some dark options, but the “ping” on his phone had interrupted his thoughts. He wrote, “My heart is beating and tears are flowing. This email clearly has had an affect on me, though I’m not sure I deserve the attention. I’m so appreciative and extremely grateful.”
His heart was revived. I blessed him in the name of Jesus, reminding him that prayers were being heard over his life, and that I had decided to send one in written form. It turns out my words translated as God’s words to him, and that made all the difference.
That interrupted moment has grown into more of a relationship, one that has the smell of the Kingdom on it, I’m curious to see where it leads.
Today, I’m mindful of silence that gets filled with words, and how freely I fill such moments with myself. A prayerful flow makes much more sense. It regularly results in the most amazing stories. A friend of mine says that the key to life is to, “talk less and pray more.” I like that, simple and true. It requires a shift of attention and, in doing so, everything changes.
I’m taking more initiative these days. These “Kingdom prayer” opportunities are waiting for us everywhere. I think the best way to find them is to talk less and pray more