Stormie

Praying in Devotion


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70ChyisF7-s


Praying is an act that draws you closer to the one that you are addressing.
People forget this, because they dwell on the act or action as being a chore or
a routine that they need to perform. Although, sometimes you need to follow through on your beliefs, a prayer life reveals what is truly lacking in life. It speaks to you about where you need to be on a spiritual plane.

Prayer adds to the element of expressing devotion, because you devote yourself to someone, and in this case, that someone is the Divine. The divine presence is then ushered into your life.

This may scare some people.

What do I do when God comes to me?
What do I do if I start to feel close to God?
Shouldn't He or She (Spirit) be far away at all times to be addressed instead of visiting the worshippers?

These are all valid questions.

I think that listening to worship artists opens our understanding to what worship, prayer, and devotion is all about. It may also be a sign that sometimes we are at odds with people, because we don't have that connection or communion that we need with them in order for that interaction to occur.

I used to be comfortable with a God that was above and beyond, a being far out in the universe that I wanted to come down to me whenever there was a crisis. Now, I find that having a friend or a counselor or guide is not as frightening as I once thought it would be.

We do need to respect how different people and faiths look at the Divine One. That is part of their journey, and it is their concept through which God speaks. Once I was looking at a photo of an angel protecting two children who resembled a Hansel and Gretel wandering about and almost about to fall off at a precipice. The angel was behind them and watching everything. Although it was a painting, I found it a powerful image of God's presence in the lives of children finding their way. A bystander felt that the image was misleading in that she felt God would be right before her and not ever behind her. She also thought that God would not ever lead children into danger in the first place.

I think she missed the whole point entirely, and although I didn't feel slighted, I held my tongue, because her concept of how she viewed God was important to her at the time, and she felt she had to defend this. Later, she berated another woman who had brought icons of saints to the meeting. She was chided eventually by leadership who told her to calm down.

I think we are at different points in our interaction with the Spirit. Some of us know HE is always there. Others feel that they are alone and feel life is meaningless without that feeling that there is something there for them. I think that rather than argue about who is right about every little thing, it is important to know God works with all HIS children in due time. Some come to belief much later than others. Others connect faster, or are bored much earlier. The ways they believe, and the way they grew up is as different as night is to day.

These are all signs that the prayer life needs to be exercised, and our beliefs raise us in the level of communion we need at the time. Devotion is a way of following through in the act of prayer. If you feel comfortable in the way you relate to God, most likely, you will feel comfortable in the way you relate to others.

A relationship is a follow up with your relationships previously, whether in family, church or other place. If you are not experiencing a relationship, you are not in a prayerful place, or are in mock - friendships where you are being used instead.

Prayer and devotion will move you out of the ruts of life and places where there is no growth in friendship. The first one you repair is the time alone with God, and then the rest will cooperate as the time progresses.