prayer: the discipline of yearning

Introduction

Yearning, according to Oxford Languages, is “a feeling of intense longing for something.” C. S. Lewis often wrote about a specific kind of yearning, something he titled Sehnsucht (which happens to be the German word for yearning). Sehnsucht, he said, is the “inconsolable longing in the human heart for we know not what.” It is a deep nostalgia for something that has been lost which must be regained.

Prayer is a recognition of that longing and putting of words to it. The only one who can fill our deepest yearning is God himself. It is he whom we long for. It is that relationship and world of Eden that we lost, and that even now we are waiting to fully regain. But prayer is communication right at this very moment with the living God. It is part of the Kingdom here and now. 

Prayer as a spiritual discipline both satisfies and strengthens that yearning. It is a wonderful thing to converse with the Creator, the living God, our very own Father. It is also a good thing to long for that which we have lost and will one day regain (to a whole new level). 

What is prayer?

Prayer, at its core, is communication with God. It may be spoken words poured out in thankfulness and gratitude, or it may be the deep, unutterable cry of your heart to God when all seems lost and hopeless. Or, of course, it may fall somewhere in between. There’s no exact step-by-step guideline of what every single prayer in every single moment ought to look like. 

Prayer isn’t a magic formula, nor is it empty words shot out into the darkness. It is a reminder of our utter dependence on God and it is a recognition of our intimate relationship with Him. 

What does it look like for us?

Many people follow set structures for prayer, but really the heart of it is that you are seeking your Father. Like any other relationship, your relationship with God isn’t a formula. So don’t feel like you have to try turning it into that. Instead, seek your Father as a child. Ask, thank, weep, rejoice...in every moment turn to Him. That is the root of prayer. 

Think of the ways Jesus talked with His Father. In the garden, He wept. He asked and He submitted. In the midst of all that lay ahead of Him, He came to His Father like a child. Think too of David’s psalms. Like Jesus, David was honest with his fears and feelings, but he didn’t turn away from God. Instead, he asked him why. He laid it all down and reaffirmed his trust in God. 

That is the heart of prayer. It is honest and ultimately trusting communication with the living God himself. 

If you still feel uncomfortable or unsure about prayer, we highly recommend A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. Seriously, it’s fantastic.

Why practice prayer?

Prayer is at the heart of our relationship with God, because it is our communication with Him. And here’s the beauty of it. The Father listens...every single time. 

When you share your inmost thoughts and fears with your Father, then you are building a relationship with Him. And somehow, in that moment of sheer honesty, when, like Job, you share your anger and fear...when you tell God those things instead of holding onto them yourself, then He steps in. He reminds you of who He is...the Creator and King of all, with wisdom, knowledge, justice, and love so far exceeding your own that you cannot help but respond with, “I trust you.” And that is the sum of what God asks of us in return… “Do you trust me? Will you follow me?”

Life is good, and life is hard. But our God is with us always. We have been offered an intimate relationship with the Author himself. He has called us his very children. Press into that, because trust me, it makes all the difference. 

Conclusion

In conclusion...pray. Now. Talk to your Father, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing. It’ll make all the difference in the world. Why? Because it’s Him.

And as you’re talking to the living God, we’d like to ask you to join with us in prayer for SWAT. We’ll soon be moving into a full-on office space in Athens, and as this marks a big step for SWAT, we want every part of it to be covered in prayer.

We’re calling this time of prayer #Prayfor1095A (that’s our address), and here are some of the things we’d love you to join us in praying for:

- Favor in Athens with local businesses.

- More leaders and students to come through our doors.

- Restoration for all who enter the office space.

- Favor with those that we will connect with outside of the office space.

- More awareness of SWAT Ministries.

Because prayer is communication with the living God, we believe it changes things. Above all, we want SWAT to be a people and a place where people can come to encounter and know the God of all.