The Prayer Thread is a collection of teachings and practical prompts to help as we learn to pray in community. This text was originally delivered on September 28th, 2022 as a short teaching at our online weekly prayer sit.
I recall when, as a parent of young children, I was reminded of the Centering Prayer instructions to pray twice a day for twenty minutes each period. Ha! Two periods in a day for quiet time at that time in my life would have been a luxury!
Yet, it is precisely in the seasons of life when we feel overburdened, over-scheduled, and drained of energy, that prayer is most essential. When the natural rhythms of life weigh us down, we depend upon supernatural supports.
Recognizing the necessity of prayer, many of us begin to feel guilty or ashamed when we are not able to “keep up” with our usual preferences for prayer. When the old rhythms fall apart, we begin to think that we too are falling apart. In reality, we are being called to change and adjust to shifting circumstances, which itself can be a spiritual practice—learning to be at ease with the flux of life.
When life brings its ups and downs, it does not mean our own prayer life is doomed. Prayer always remains essential, a stable part of who we are. We will always need to cry out for help, draw upon the supportive guidance of a Holy Hand, proclaim our deepest longings in supplication and petitions, regardless of whether these actions fit into two twenty minute periods each day. Despite the shifts in the form of the prayer, as long as we are yearning for connection with the Holy One, we honor prayer as essential.
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