How to Listen in prayer?

[LaMusicaSenior]

Allright, here is the story: I do not like conversations where the other person I am talking to is so self-interested and keeps going on and on about them.

The irony of this is this is what I feel my prayer is!

How do I pray as in listening? I feel like when I clear my mind, something keeps popping in! I can never tell if that “distraction” is God saying something, or if it’s my mind playing tricks on me!

I know a real love relationship with God involves two way conversation. Help! Any hints or advice?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Well this is how I often pray.

I sit in a quiet location.

With my eyes closed and the intention of my will, I focus on the presence of God within.

I then begin to say the name “Lord Jesus.” I repeat His name gently, slowly and internally. As I say his Name, I’m drawn deeper into my being, to where I rest in the presence of God.
Eventually, I’m not aware of saying the Lord’s name, but when I do become aware that my mind has wondered off, I gently return to saying the name, “Lord Jesus.”

In all, as I rest in His presence, I open myself to Him, and to whatever He desires of me.

I do this for 10 - 20 minutes, twice a day, after praying the Liturgy of the Hours.

Maybe this is for you.

In Christ Jesus
Jim

 

[zab]

I have always had difficulty “listening” while just sitting in the silence. Unlike my husband and some other people, I don’t have a good imagination where I can just think up things to ponder. Sometimes, it is while reading from the Scriptures or listening to Father’s homily when I receive inspirations or thoughts helping me to better understand what is being read or spoken. Now, if I began to think of what I was going to fix for dinner or some other distracting thought, well that’s another story…

 

[sllhouette]

Allright, here is the story: I do not like conversations where the other person I am talking to is so self-interested and keeps going on and on about them.

The irony of this is this is what I feel my prayer is!

How do I pray as in listening? I feel like when I clear my mind, something keeps popping in! I can never tell if that “distraction” is God saying something, or if it’s my mind playing tricks on me!

I know a real love relationship with God involves two way conversation. Help! Any hints or advice?

Just sit in adoration. You don’t have to “make” yourself pray. Don’t worry too much about distraction. I have had a lot of “distractions” in my prayer that God ultimately used to speak to me with.

 

[Jguerra]

All good replies here.

May I suggest Fr. Mitch Pacwa’s recent book, How to Listen When God is Speaking.

See the entry at Amazon.com

amazon.com/How-Listen-When-God-Speaking/dp/1593251831/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp

Hope this helps

Joe

 

[Waiting]

Allright, here is the story: I do not like conversations where the other person I am talking to is so self-interested and keeps going on and on about them.

The irony of this is this is what I feel my prayer is!

How do I pray as in listening? I feel like when I clear my mind, something keeps popping in! I can never tell if that “distraction” is God saying something, or if it’s my mind playing tricks on me!

I know a real love relationship with God involves two way conversation. Help! Any hints or advice?

If you’re earnestly speaking to God, with no distraction in your prayer, my experience has been that God will speak to you at whatever part of your prayer He chooses. When He does, you will have no doubt that He spoke to you, or what He is asking you to do. If you’re questioning whether you received a message, or not, you haven’t. Although it’s possible that God has planted a seed for you to ponder about until He’s ready for you to take action. The fact that you’re trying to open yourself to God is what is endearing to Him. He is asking each of us to serve, and your willingness to listen for His message is a step in the right direction.

 

[sllhouette]

I almost forgot!

Catechism 2711

The habitual difficulty in prayer is distraction. It can affect words and their meaning in vocal prayer; it can concern, more profoundly, him to whom we are praying, in vocal prayer (liturgical or personal), meditation, and contemplative prayer. To set about hunting down distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is to turn back to our heart: for a distraction reveals to us what we are attached to, and this humble awareness before the Lord should awaken our preferential love for him and lead us resolutely to offer him our heart to be purified. Therein lies the battle, the choice of which master to serve

 

[Alan55]

I agree with others posting answers to your question. Let me add one more perspective. Lectio divina is a great way to listen to God in a couple of different ways. First, it involves prayerful reflection on God’s word. Second, it involves application of God’s word to your daily life, which includes asking God to help you see how you can do so. Finally, in the quite moments during your prayer, you further invite God to speak to you. For those who find that they need a bit more activity in their prayer and find quiet contemplation difficult, lectio divina is a good middle ground.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Read the writings of Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Thomas Merton.

 

[roselily]

Allright, here is the story: I do not like conversations where the other person I am talking to is so self-interested and keeps going on and on about them.

The irony of this is this is what I feel my prayer is!

How do I pray as in listening? I feel like when I clear my mind, something keeps popping in! I can never tell if that “distraction” is God saying something, or if it’s my mind playing tricks on me!

I know a real love relationship with God involves two way conversation. Help! Any hints or advice?

-I was just thinking pray when you preparing to sleep, and at some other quiet places and times is good, you can listen.

• I know that when you in a busy city, and the place whose uproar deprived you of presence of mind; too, you can not listen when pray, even could not find yourself; -the need to some quiet place with sky, moon, or even wild flowers, trees, grasses, mountains, think that you can quiet your heart and find your self again and can listen to what your heart thinking, and pray and listen, and probably then God will show you the way.