Just Take a Minute To Breathe

Merry Christmas! I love this season for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is the abundance of story. Few things are more satisfying to me than the give and take of swapping stories over a good meal and the holidays offer plenty such opportunities. To be sure, the conversation I most enjoy has an ebb and flow that makes one want to linger.

Contrast such pleasant exchanges, if you will, with the uncomfortable feeling of trying to visit with a non-stop talker. Oh, be nice, y’all. I admit to being a card-carrying talker, but I’m making a distinction you might recognize if you’ll give me a minute.

We all know people who seem uncomfortable in conversation. To compensate, they talk non-stop without yielding the floor. It may seem like these folks are full of themselves but I’m not so sure. I’m not a trained psychologist either, but I’m convinced that they do it for an entirely different reason. I believe they’re self-conscious more than they are self-confident. By filling the talk time between themselves and the other person, they cover their insecurity and thereby reduce their risk of exposure.

The point of my amateur analysis? I see a parallel between that nonstop talker and our run on-prayer times where we say “Dear Lord” and rush straight through to “amen”. It’s taken a long time but I’m finally enjoying the rewards of an honest to goodness prayer life, and I want to share what I’ve learned with you.

These days, when I catch myself in a run on prayer, I know my focus has slipped, again, and I’m actually hiding from God in all the talking. Praying without pausing is a sure sign that I’m feeling self-conscious or insecure in prayer and I’m forging full speed ahead to cover for it.

If you can identify with any of this, I want to share with you one of the sweetest lessons I’ve ever learned. Confidence based on what Jesus has done instead of what I’m doing is always the first step back to a honest prayer. Being more conscious of God, and less conscious of me yields genuine conversation that ebbs and flows and makes me want to linger.

Hugs, Shellie