Dear friends, when I pray what I wish to do is to give God all that I can give to His presence and action at that very moment of my life. I do this by choosing a word — I choose “Jesus” — or a thought, such as the image of Jesus hanging on the cross — or a feeling, such as the feeling of deep love for God, I want what God wants. Because I want what God wants for me, and because I want to give myself fully to Him — with no strings attached — in order to maintain my prayer and my giving myself fully to God, when I am distracted or tempted to turn away from the presence of God I return gently to God who is lovingly present by thinking of “Jesus”. I breathe in “Je” and breathe out “sus”. I think silently: Je-sus…Je-sus…Je-sus. I encourage you to find your own word or thought or feeling and use it as your way to bring you back to God in quiet prayer.
We are all distracted and tempted in prayer. This is normal. Gently return to your “ladder” by which you climb back into the presence of Jesus Christ.
Remember that God’s grace is sufficient for you, it is enough for you to return. But God loves you so much that he gives you the choice to climb the ladder back to Him or to tuck the ladder away in the closet. For me, my “ladder” is Je-sus…Je-sus…Je-sus.
Pray that God will lead you to create your own “ladder” through which God’s grace calls you back quietly to the inner presence of our Loving Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when you are distracted by thoughts and temptations that ty try draw you away from the very present and loving Lord in prayer.
Oh dear Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner, for too many times in my life have I ignored Je-sus…Je-sus…Je-sus. I have forgotten that your grace is sufficient. Bring me back to You, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen.
From the Bible:
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6.
“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name” Luke 10:17!
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6.
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” Matthew 1:21.
“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”
Acts 2:38.
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” 1 Corinthians 6:11.
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