Prayerনমুনা

Waiting on God

I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, so for me, my only example of prayer has been the corporate expression. Don’t get me wrong – I love it when we pray together – but by nature, we pray differently in a group setting.

Since meeting Jesus as a teenager, I’ve found it quite difficult to grow in my personal prayer life. One of the most significant realisations for me recently has been to learn the value of silence. I’m not sure why it took so long… waiting on the Lord is a huge theme in scripture! Yet for whatever reason, it’s only been recently that I’ve realised the true value in being still before God.

When I worked in retail during high school, I used to man the sales floor on Thursdays for late-night shopping. I would get to the point where all the tasks were done. The shop was empty. But there would still be an hour or so before closing time. I couldn’t switch off yet, but those in-between moments created a sense of space and peace that I don’t get very often these days. Reflecting on those times, I feel a sense of what it might have been like for Israel’s watchmen. Waiting for the morning. Waiting on God in silence means saying no, even for a moment, to the productivity culture that permeates our everyday experience. It’s almost an act of resistance. It’s choosing to create an in-between moment where you’re not switched off, but you’re not getting things done.

For me, it’s revolutionised my personal prayer life. I wonder if you might be able to find a moment today to embrace the same?

Written by CHRIS GRESHAM-BRITT