Just Pray About It

In the past I would get so angry when I told a friend about a problem or concern I had, and she would say, “Just pray about it”. To me that was the equivalent of the flippant, “Bless your heart”, which means whatever you said is really not of importance to me, or you’re a little crazy.

“Just pray about it.” Humpfh. Don’t tell me that.

I find it ironic that my job now revolves around the idea of praying and asking a version of “just pray about it”. Maybe my dislike for that question actually propelled me towards it; or maybe that’s what God wanted me to hear, but I wasn’t ready to hear it the way it was asked of me.

Nonetheless, I’m learning that in most situations, the first thing I should do is just pray about it, even in the common ordinary questions of life.

Turn Questions into Prayers

Here is a question I’ve asked lately, “What name do I feel most comfortable calling God?” I usually say Lord or Father, but that doesn’t adequately describe how I feel about him right now. He is Lord and Father, but he’s more than that. Using the name God seems impersonal and distant. What about Yahweh, Elohim, Abba? Then I had this thought, “Why don’t I ask God what he wants me to call him?” so I did. I haven’t gotten a clear answer, but I have a feeling it will come.

OK, here’s another question. I debated getting the Covid vaccine. I had good arguments on both sides. Finally, I asked, “What’s the most loving thing I can do; and God, what do you want me to do?” I decided getting the vaccine was the most loving thing I could do.

I also decided I didn’t want to spend extraordinary time trying to get an appointment but would get it when I could “walk up and get jabbed”. God answered that prayer in the most amazing way. When I was at Green Bough, my silent retreat place, one of their neighbors was a nurse. She had an extra Johnson and Johnson shot she was going to throw out if not used. I literally walked up and got jabbed!

Here’s one last example. With people home all the time, finding quiet time to pray is difficult. My mornings don’t flow like they once did so my prayer time doesn’t happen the way it did. I decided to ask, “God, how do you want me to structure my prayer life?”

Someone suggested that when I wake up, I let God know I desire to spend time with him and let him show me where in my day to put it. I didn't give this enough effort to say I tried; but I did it once or twice, and it hasn’t worked well.

I turn to God throughout the day; but if I want focused time alone, it really needs to be in the morning. So, now my prayer is, “Show me what that looks like.” We’ll see what God reveals to me.

I have talked about how we should seek God first, but we tend to think that’s for the big questions of life. I believe we should seek God first in all questions of life. I like the idea of turning questions I have into prayers then to just pray about it. Funny how God has a way of changing my perspective.