1. Learning How to Pray Anew
I think I haven't blogged for a while. Oh yes it's 2014 already! (:
YAM Camp was great, with really thought-provoking workshops, good choice of readings, interesting discussions, informative (maybe even too informative) messages/ lectures, and really, really good fellowship. (: And I think God really used the groupings to teach us all something. I got to hear Jojo's opinions on Youth Comm and BS, Abby found a fellow seeker in Jojo, and I got to know Michelle better during Finale Night's sharing. (: We may not be any closer, but I think we see each other in a different and brighter light. The night times and devotions were a wake-up call for me too. And those discussions on Day 2 and Day 3 while everyone else was off playing.. I wish I could at least have watched them play, but those were good discussions. (: All in all, it was a really really brain-intensive camp, non-stop thinking for 4 days plus the next few days after camp. And nothing could have happened if we were in SG, with all the distractions around us. It could only have happened at an overseas camp. (:
Now, prayer!
You know, I used to think that if we thank God for answering our prayer right after we've prayed for it, it ascertains your faith and belief that HE'll indeed answer it. And I've always prayed facing my window, because it gives me a clear view of the sky. Which is kinda like where GOD stays, in heaven. And I've tried a few times to pray consistently everyday. Doing QT before I sleep didn't work out cos I studied till I was tired. Doing QT right after I woke up didn't work cos I had to rush for work. So it stopped.
And prayer? The readings from camp included a snippet from The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. (The writing style allows the writer to point out what Christians do wrongly or what challenges we face in the struggle of good and evil.) And one letter points out that Christians, even though we pray, pray not to GOD Himself, but direct our prayers to a physical object which we feel represents GOD. Such as a crucifix or for me, the sky. Or when we pray, we come up with a mash-up of images that we think represent GOD, like how movies have depicted Jesus or GOD to look like. And we keep directing our prayers to those things until that thing... Becomes GOD. We've been praying to who we think GOD is, not who HE knows Himself to be.
Also, it matters when we pray and in what position we are in when we pray. Prayer requires a firm will and concentration to speak to GOD and GOD only, and not be distracted. Being creatures, we can't do this when we're physically tired or sleepy or hungry.
And today's devotional also says that we should never thank GOD for answering our prayers if we don't feel strongly that HE has answered it. If we do feel that HE has, good! That will solidify our faith. But if we pray and pray and pray and still don't feel certain that HE has, don't. These kind of prayers show the uncertainty and unbelief and anxiety in your heart or from Satan, and thus stumbles ourselves. Instead of focusing on the difficulty, we should pray continually to GOD, keep giving it to HIM and enter into HIS rest.
Prayer really isn't easy. We need to continually watch how we pray, so that the Devil may not tempt us while we are at it and weaken our faith. After we pray, this is when we turn to face our battles before GOD between good and evil. And this is when faith shines through. Amen, so may it be as YOU have willed!
YAM Camp was great, with really thought-provoking workshops, good choice of readings, interesting discussions, informative (maybe even too informative) messages/ lectures, and really, really good fellowship. (: And I think God really used the groupings to teach us all something. I got to hear Jojo's opinions on Youth Comm and BS, Abby found a fellow seeker in Jojo, and I got to know Michelle better during Finale Night's sharing. (: We may not be any closer, but I think we see each other in a different and brighter light. The night times and devotions were a wake-up call for me too. And those discussions on Day 2 and Day 3 while everyone else was off playing.. I wish I could at least have watched them play, but those were good discussions. (: All in all, it was a really really brain-intensive camp, non-stop thinking for 4 days plus the next few days after camp. And nothing could have happened if we were in SG, with all the distractions around us. It could only have happened at an overseas camp. (:
Now, prayer!
You know, I used to think that if we thank God for answering our prayer right after we've prayed for it, it ascertains your faith and belief that HE'll indeed answer it. And I've always prayed facing my window, because it gives me a clear view of the sky. Which is kinda like where GOD stays, in heaven. And I've tried a few times to pray consistently everyday. Doing QT before I sleep didn't work out cos I studied till I was tired. Doing QT right after I woke up didn't work cos I had to rush for work. So it stopped.
And prayer? The readings from camp included a snippet from The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. (The writing style allows the writer to point out what Christians do wrongly or what challenges we face in the struggle of good and evil.) And one letter points out that Christians, even though we pray, pray not to GOD Himself, but direct our prayers to a physical object which we feel represents GOD. Such as a crucifix or for me, the sky. Or when we pray, we come up with a mash-up of images that we think represent GOD, like how movies have depicted Jesus or GOD to look like. And we keep directing our prayers to those things until that thing... Becomes GOD. We've been praying to who we think GOD is, not who HE knows Himself to be.
Also, it matters when we pray and in what position we are in when we pray. Prayer requires a firm will and concentration to speak to GOD and GOD only, and not be distracted. Being creatures, we can't do this when we're physically tired or sleepy or hungry.
And today's devotional also says that we should never thank GOD for answering our prayers if we don't feel strongly that HE has answered it. If we do feel that HE has, good! That will solidify our faith. But if we pray and pray and pray and still don't feel certain that HE has, don't. These kind of prayers show the uncertainty and unbelief and anxiety in your heart or from Satan, and thus stumbles ourselves. Instead of focusing on the difficulty, we should pray continually to GOD, keep giving it to HIM and enter into HIS rest.
Prayer really isn't easy. We need to continually watch how we pray, so that the Devil may not tempt us while we are at it and weaken our faith. After we pray, this is when we turn to face our battles before GOD between good and evil. And this is when faith shines through. Amen, so may it be as YOU have willed!