Mythbusters II

Another myth exploded in my recent family crisis was the myth of the "prayerful person". I have always thought of myself as a prayerful person who is often in conversation with God. What I discovered in this crisis was that I was, in actuality, a person who prays when he thinks of it. I was surprised to find that prayer had not become second nature to me. Often in these days I found myself going to physicians and siblings before I went to God in prayer. I realize that God often speaks to us through the voice of others: I was just surprised that I made more room for the voice of others than I did for the voice of God. This is surely a result of the upheaval in my life yet it is a danger signal. Pastors and other Christians should be aware of the mistake which Adam and Eve made in the garden (according to Walter Brueggemann): they talked about God (to the snake) rather than WITH God. That being the case it is no wonder that I found myself so disoriented in the crisis. The good news is that God continues to want to be in conversation with me and that I am learning to make space for that conversation even in difficult and busy days.
DMac