Joy in Prayer: Are You There, God?
A Thought to Begin
“For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Scripture
“When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart.”
—Jeremiah 29:12–13 (NABRE)
Reflection
Have you ever been sitting in a Bible study and heard someone say, “God told me…”?
I know I have.
I’d sit there wondering, Why doesn’t God talk to me?
I honestly thought everyone else had a direct line to God while mine must have been disconnected.
The problem wasn’t God. It was me.
I didn’t realize that God speaks in many different ways, and I didn’t understand that I needed to spend time quietly listening. I thought prayer was all about reciting the prayers I had memorized as a child and giving God my laundry list of the changes I wanted Him to make in my life.
What I eventually discovered changed not only the way I looked at prayer, but the way I experienced my relationship with God.
I discovered that prayer is so much more than the beautiful prayers I memorized as a child, though they are still an important part of my prayer life. Prayer is how I spend time with the One who loves me most.
I don’t remember one single moment when everything changed. It happened little by little. I had been participating in Bible study for a while and was intentionally looking for ways to grow in my faith. Then one day I realized I had been carrying on an ongoing conversation with God throughout my day. I found myself talking with Him when I felt anxious, when things were going well, when I had questions, and even when I simply wanted to thank Him for something beautiful.
Prayer is no longer just something I do.
It is how I share my life with the One who loves me most.
As my friendship with God continues to grow, I continue to discover the beautiful ways the Catholic Church invites us to pray. Every form of prayer, every devotion, every saint, every spirituality, and every season of the Church has something to teach us about drawing closer to God.
In Joy in Prayer, we’ll explore these treasures together. We’ll discover different ways of praying, learn from the saints, experience the richness of the Church’s spiritual traditions, and find prayers and devotions that meet us exactly where we are on our journey.
Whether you’ve been praying for years or you’re just beginning to wonder how to have a deeper conversation with God, you are welcome here. We are simply fellow travelers, learning to recognize His voice, trust His love, and draw closer to Him one prayer at a time.
Something to Think About…
I challenge you to take a few minutes today to sit quietly with God. Be still. Quiet your words, set down what is in your hands, and gently bring your attention back to God whenever your mind wanders. Simply remain with Him, keeping your heart open to His voice.
My prayer is that in the stillness, you will recognize the invitation God is extending to each of us—the invitation to share our lives with Him.