Saturday, November 7, 2009

Refocusing on Prayer and Fasting

As I thought about how to structure my resolution this month to "refocus on prayer and fasting," I re-read the posts I wrote originally in February when I first focused on prayer for a month. In doing so, something struck me that has sobered me greatly.

While I feel I have grown much from my attempts to internalize the characteristics and principles articulated in the Sermon on the Mount over the past two years, there are certain areas where I have not improved much - and praying formally is one of the most obvious. I had some wonderful insights this past February, but they have not changed my actions much as time has gone by. I am sure I realized this might happen when I first laid out my resolutions for the year, since I felt compelled nearly a year ago to dedicate this month to refocusing on prayer and fasting - and as I type this post tonight something strikes me that didn't register earlier:

I have great reasons to pray more fervently and more formally this month than perhaps I have over the past months of the year. In at least three distinct areas of my life, I am facing a challenge that will require help outside my control to be resolved properly. Also, I simply can't tackle them one-by-one - focusing on praying and fasting about them individually. I need to do so simultaneously with all of them.

I am grateful once again for inspiration of the Spirit - that makes it possible for these resolutions to become active exactly when I need them, in the their specific focus, the most.

I'm not sure at this point if I will blog about the specifics of each situation this month, but I will write about the experiences I have as I refocus on both internal and verbalized prayer and on fasting this month. As part of that process, I would ask that anyone who reads my blog regularly remember me in your own prayers - even if only generically for now.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Will do ,Ray.As a lost soul myself,I have approached spoken prayer with new resolve myself over this past year.Interestingly,I have found that it can help relieve obsessive ruminations as I slow my thoughts to the speed of speech and the effort to give word to whirling thoughts.I never knew this about prayer.
I honour the creativity and flexibility that you and your family have brought to your experiences and shared with us,and want you to know how very much our families process has been blessed by your own.I love the insight that has given us into the appropriate application of correct principals.

Papa D said...

Thank you. That means a lot to me.

God bless you and yours.

ellen said...

of course.

Julie said...

Amen to comment #1...and I will definitely keep you and yours in my prayers.

Matthew said...

Consider yourself remembered, Ray. God bless.

Gwennaƫlle said...

Can I fast for you? I have a hard time fasting specially if it is for me.

Papa D said...

Thank you, everyone.

Gwen, of course.