peaceful place to prayRecently Kevin Ladd, psychology professor at Indiana University South Bend, received from the John Templeton Foundation, a $735,000 grant to support his research into prayer
Ladd points out that even 10 percent of atheists pray. What prayer is to one person, he says, would not be prayer to another. He wants to define prayer and discover how people engage in prayer.
It’s certainly true that there are many forms of prayer, and many different ways to pray. One of my favorite definitions of prayer is this one by Mary Baker Eddy in her little book, No and Yes. “True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection. Prayer is the utilization of the love wherewith He loves us.”
Then she describes what prayer does. “Prayer begets an awakened desire to be and do good. It makes new and scientific discoveries of God, of His goodness and power. It shows us more clearly than we saw before, what we already have and are; and most of all, it shows us what God is.”
Maybe we can look at prayer types this way:
Ladd points out that even 10 percent of atheists pray. What prayer is to one person, he says, would not be prayer to another. He wants to define prayer and discover how people engage in prayer.
It’s certainly true that there are many forms of prayer, and many different ways to pray. One of my favorite definitions of prayer is this one by Mary Baker Eddy in her little book, No and Yes. “True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection. Prayer is the utilization of the love wherewith He loves us.”
Then she describes what prayer does. “Prayer begets an awakened desire to be and do good. It makes new and scientific discoveries of God, of His goodness and power. It shows us more clearly than we saw before, what we already have and are; and most of all, it shows us what God is.”
Maybe we can look at prayer types this way:
- Mountaintop prayer – where we’re asking nothing for ourselves, except to learn how to love as Jesus loved.
- Walking on the mountain path prayer – where we are asking questions, looking for a higher view, or maybe some sense of direction in our lives.
- "Just get me out of this valley!" prayer – a very basic, “Please help me, God!”
We might pray all three kinds in one day!
May you find the prayer that’s meaningful to you, that helps you through your day, or gives your heart peace, or helps you be a better person.
Another type of prayer
Jesus prayer
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