For this month’s edition of Prayer Corner, Winnie will be sharing with us on how important it is for her to be silent, still, and most of all, attentive when she prays and reads the Word.

March ’23: The Season of Lent
By Winnie LF

Lent is a season of reflection and spiritual growth that prepares us for Easter.  This year Lent started on Wednesday February 22, and marked the beginning of the 40 days leading up to Easter.  Two weeks ago, Pastor Sam gave a sermon on confession as part of observing Lent.  For this prayer blog, I’d like to focus on prayer.

“The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.  Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, (b)let him hear.” —Luke 8:5-8

I am convicted by how often I let the seed (His Word) fall on bad soil because my heart is too distracted and inattentive.  I read the Word but instead of meditating and allowing the Word to speak to me, I treat them like just plain words that I speed read through.  It becomes ticking a checkbox instead of spending time in His presence.  

I am reminded of how important it is to be silent, still, and most of all, attentive when I pray and read the Word.  In our current world where speed and efficiency is king, and multitasking different applications on different screens is almost the norm, being attentive and non-distracted almost seems impossible.  Satan loves nothing better than distracted and lukewarm Christians who are too busy to hear God.  

Let us not give the adversary the upper hand but remember that God has already won the victory.  Our God is there waiting for us to hear His whisper, only if we would quiet ourselves and be attentive.  During this season of Lent, would you like to join me in spending at least 5 minutes each day in silence?  This silence would be a time to rest in His love, meditate on His Word, and above all, listen.  

In my silence, I have found God has challenged my thoughts and brought to mind bias that I have, fears that I never put words to, and shame that I didn’t realize I held.  Coming to terms with those and allowing God to heal me is part of the spiritual growth, and it is a never-ending journey.  I pray that we, individually as followers as Christ and corporately as the body of Christ, can lean into this awkward silence, hear His prompting, and courageously embrace this journey.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”
—Psalm 46:10