Balance in prayer

First,  a caveat:  I'm not too good at balance.  As Bruce Cockburn says,

I hold my breath forever

I never lived with balance 

Though I've always liked the notion

I feel an endless hunger

For energy and motion ("Open")

So, with that in mind, I will summarize what I've learned from my experience in praying for revival:

When I tried to save the whole world through prayer, I wore myself out.  But the resulting prayerlessness was not restful either.  Although I didn't know it at the time, a balanced prayer life would have been a better solution.  Intercession and contemplation together make daily prayer possible.

Our prayer lives, in many ways, are like eating a balanced diet or practicing a healthy exercise program.  No person can live on only protein or only carbs; we need the nutrients from fruits and vegetables as well.  We cannot get in really good physical condition by doing sit-ups without using all our muscles and giving our hearts a good cardiovascular workout.

Similarly, my prayer life needs to be balanced.  I cannot focus only on intercession, or my prayer life will become dry and empty.  I also need adoration, confession and thanksgiving, to feed and refresh the wellsprings of my heart.

Sometimes we need to speak; sometimes we need to listen.  Yes, we must focus on the needs of others, but we must also and always focus on the glory and greatness of God.

I'm glad I'm getting back into the habit of daily, balanced prayer!

(Journal, Jan. 3, 2012)