Prayless

Link: Core Values
Focus: Prayer (5/7)
Day: 13/95
Pathway summary: Being faith-filled, fervent, continual, and heartfelt in my expressions, petitions, and supplications to God.
Justification: (2 Timothy 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Matthew 6:5-13; Mark 9:23)
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Setup:

What would it look like to NEVER pray? 

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Prep:

I cogitated over all the areas in my life where it feels either in auto-pilot or which I find strife or awkwardness. I also considered areas that appear to be challenging for the lives of others as well.

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Execution:

I prayed and asked for guidance regarding the impact on a life without prayer.
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Day 13 Conclusions / Thoughts

God pointed out something to me about holidays - in particular regarding the fact that bringing families together for gatherings is a trying time for everyone involved. I believe He quickened to me that the problems evidenced in that context are tied to a lack of prayer. There is a connectedness and intimacy that happens when you have daily, earnest prayer for someone - and a loss of that same intimacy when you do not pray for someone daily.

I propose that family gatherings between family members who actively pray for one another, are earnestly invested in one-another's lives (but do not talk on a daily basis), and actually give thought to one another daily, have a much better time together than the standard family (at least in America).  Instead of there being implicit discomfort and discomfit, you have occasion for bonding, joy, and increased intimacy.

So - if not praying causes strife amongst family members (wherein there exists at least a cultural bond), how much more in areas where there is not autonomous connection and no implicit value in a relationship?

Our neighborhoods used to be places where people could feel safe, where you could ask after your neighbor's well-being and thought to be considerate, where taking time out of your day to physically visit someone's (perhaps even with your family) was considered appropriate and expected - and your own family would have the center room (and perhaps the kitchen) set up with the expectation that a visitor might drop by unannounced.

Our schools did not use to have metal-detectors, need bars on the windows, or have an expectation that our kids would be effectually baby-sat by the teachers; instead it was common for parents to be involved at every level. Perhaps it is a fundamental breakdown in the definition of family, or a gross increase in the price of things appearing to necessitate more income, or the diminishment of the value of currency - warranting either better or more jobs.

I claim, instead, it is the lack of prayer that has caused much of the things we attribute to the degradation of our society, our culture, our families, and ourselves.  Without continual prayer, without responding to things with prayer, each of us chooses to rely on self or family; and it is a compounding problem - because, in the short term (and apparently medium term) it appears to work. The consequences of not praying never appear to land - because we do not associate the lack of prayer with any negative impact.

We are a people who have sacrificed intimacy for convenience, autonomy, and independence. And the cost may be our souls.

I challenge you to develop intimacy with your family. Share your deep, inner life with your spouse, with your children (wrapped properly for loving consumption), and grow closer in Christ as you walk out life.