Bringing Our Restless Hearts to God
Most of us can concentrate long enough on a specific task in order to complete it, particularly when we are pressured by time. But when we are without external constraints, we easily become less focused. This is especially the case when we set time aside to pray and to be still. Our restless senses catapult us from one thing to another. Nouwen describes one aspect of our difficulty when he writes: “Why should I spend an hour in prayer when I do nothing during that time but think about people I am angry with, people who are angry with me . . . and thousands of other silly things that happen to grab my mind for a moment?”[ 1] The answer may be to adopt various spiritual disciplines and techniques to help focus our thoughts. But more importantly, our coming to God is not an attempt to impress Him regarding our disciplinary skills. Instead, we need to bring ourselves to God as we are—with our restless senses. When we come in this way, we will eventually experience God’s quieting presence, particularly when we confess our sins, unburden our hearts, lay down our issues, and allow ourselves to be blown in new directions by the breath of God’s Spirit.
—Dare to Journey with Henri Nouwen
When life pressures us, we can focus well enough to get things done. But in stillness—especially in prayer—our minds often scatter in every direction. Henri Nouwen admitted that an hour of prayer can sometimes feel like nothing more than chasing stray thoughts. The good news is that God doesn’t ask us to impress Him with perfect focus—He invites us to come as we are, even with our restless senses.
When we bring our distracted minds and cluttered hearts honestly to God, He meets us there. As we confess, unburden, and release our concerns, His Spirit gently quiets us. In that stillness, we may find ourselves carried in new, life-giving directions—led not by our discipline, but by His grace. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics