DISCIPLINE OF HEART IN PRAYER

This brings me to the conclusion of this presentation on prayer. In our mind-minded world we will need a serious discipline to come to a prayer of the heart, where we can listen to the guidance of him who prays in us. 

I hope that I’ve been able to make it clear that the great emphasis on prayer in ministry is not meant as an encouragement to be less involved with people, or to leave our society with its many struggles untouched. Prayer as understood by the hesychasts helps us to discern which of our ministerial activities are indeed for the glory of God, and which are primarily for the glory of our unconverted egos. 

The prayer of the heart offers us a new sensitivity which enables us to separate the chaff from the wheat in our ministry and thus to become much less ambiguous witnesses of Jesus Christ. The prayer of the heart is indeed the way to the purity of heart – the purity which gives us eyes to see the reality of our existence. We see better our own needy, distorted and anxious selves, but also the caring face of our compassionate God. When that vision remains clear and sharp it will be possible to move in the midst of a highly tumultuous world with a heart at rest.

 It is this restful heart that will attract those that are groping to find their way through life. When we have found our rest in God we cannot do other than minister. 

God’s rest will be visible wherever we go or whoever we meet, and before and beyond any words that we speak, the spirit of God praying in us will make his presence known and gather people into a new body, the body of Christ himself.