Prayer Practice Week 3
Listening to God
There comes a point in our relationship to God where we desire not just to speak to him, but to listen. To hear his voice. As Jesus said in John 10v27, âMy sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.â This is a Spirit- generated desire in the heart of a disciple of Jesus. In Luke 10v39, it was said of Jesusâ disciple Mary that she âsat at the Lordâs feet, listening to what he said.â This is the primary posture of a disciple of Jesus: sitting at his feet and listening. But how do we hear Godâs voice? He doesnât speak in the ways weâre used to. Yet he speaks in a variety of ways. Learning to sift through all the âvoicesâ in our head and to discern how God is speaking to us is a key task of discipleship.
Below you will find steps to help you engage with this practice, as well as resources for further exploration.
Ways to engage with the Prayer Practice
First and foremost, this practice (and all practices) are meant to be done in community. If you haven't yet, find a small group of people that are commited to walking through this practice together.
Download the Prayer Practice Guide. If you can, it is advised to print it out to reduce the distraction of our devices.
Gather with your group once a week to watch the Practicing the Way video found below. This will include questions for discussion, as well as a short teaching on that week's practice.
Step into each practice as much as you are able and feel comfortable to. This invitation is for everyone at all stages of life and faith.
Reflect on your experience of the practice using the reflection questions at the bottom of the guide and be prepared to share them the next time you gather with your group.
Recommended Reading
Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler Staton (Chapters 6-8)
Rule of Life Podcast
Prayer Practice Guide
Download the practice guide here
Week 3 Practice - Lectio Divina
This is an ancient Latin phrase, first used by St. Benedict in the sixth century. It means âspiritual reading.â Itâs a way of reading Scripture slowly and prayerfully, listening for Godâs word to you.
While you do not need to follow this four-step process, there are four movements to Lectio Divina that you may find helpful.
First, get somewhere quiet and as distraction-free as possible. Open your Bible and pick out a passage thatâs conducive to Lectio â a Psalm, a portion of the Gospels, or a section of an epistle (another word for letter, such as Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, etc.). Take a few deep breaths. Then:
Read â A passage of your choice, slowly and prayerfully. Pay special attention to any words or phrases or ideas that jump out to you, or that move you emotionally or deeply resonate.
Reflect â Reread the passage again, slowly. This time, pause over the word(s) or phrase(s) that were highlighted to you during your first reading. Meditate on them. Turn them over in your mind. Savor them.
Respond â Pray your impressions back to God. You can use your own words or simply pray the text directly to God.
Rest â Take a few minutes in silence to breathe deeply and rest in Godâs loving word to you.
Repeat this 3-5 times this coming week.
Week 3 Reflection Questions
Before your next time together with the group for Week 4, take five minutes to journal out your answers to the following three questions about the practice:
Where did I feel resistance?
Where did I feel delight?
As you sat with God, did the Spirit convict or comfort you In any area of your life?
