Simple Prayer is not pre-sorted or rehearsed; it is not concerned about its motive or its delivery. It can be silly; it can be angry. Simple prayer reveals the contents of our heart: the good, the bad, the ugly. It is prayer from where we are in the moment. Simple prayer is prayer for the sake of prayer.
We often let excuses keep us from prayer: busy-ness, distractedness, stubbornness, independence, self-centeredness, self-consciousness, etc. Foster writes: "We yearn for prayer and hide from prayer. We are attracted to it and repelled by it. We believe prayer is something we should do, even something we want to do, but it seems like a chasm stands between us and actually praying. We experience the agony of prayerlessness."
But when we step back from our own expectations of prayer, when we remove our own limitations and standards, we begin to open the floodgates of prayerfulness. By praying, we learn to pray.
Simple prayer is a child's prayer, and we will never outgrow it, because the Spirit of Christ within our hearts cries "Abba, Father." (Gal. 4:6).
The Experience
So I spent a week conscientiously bringing every little (and big) experience and thought to my Lord. My desire is to make prayer as natural to me as breathing. I would rather turn to God first, even before turning inward and assessing my own thoughts (which are unreliable and often require correction anyways)!
I've always had this silly little notion that I should not be wasting God's time with pointless, rambling prayers. I know the insanity of it, of thinking God's time is limited, but still I fret over annoying him. This week gave me some healing in this area. Yes, God is worthy of fear and reverence, of Isaiah's "dread of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty," but I find the courage to stand in his presence through my trust in his nature, through my inescapable dependence on him, and through the worthiness of Christ I share. God is pleased to share every part of my life: my actions, my heart, my thoughts. Resistance is futile (and foolish).
As I practiced Simple Prayer this week, I was shocked to find I had lots more to say to him then I would have thought! My usual short prayer time became longer as I didn't filter anything back - I hadn't even been aware I was doing that - but just poured everything out before him. I found my tone becoming informal and conversational - more so than I have allowed myself before. Because it is impossible to lie in prayer, truth was revealed in these conversations, and I received answers to questions ... and a changed heart.
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