I’m in the middle of Paul Miller’s A Praying Life. I really like most aspects of it (i.e. his emphasis on the gospel), but there are a few things I’m not so wild about (i.e. he was almost too ‘contemporary’ in some of his theological language, which ended up sounding messy). To summarize a long review, I think it is well worth getting, but should be read with some discernment (as with all books!). Here are a few quotes.
“American culture is probably the hardest place in the world to learn to pray. We are so busy that when we slow down to pray, we find it uncomfortable. We prize accomplishments, production. But prayer is nothing but talking to God. It feels useless, as if we are wasting time. Every bone in our bodies scream, ‘Get to work.’”
“If we try to be quiet, we are assaulted by what C. S. Lewis called ’the Kingdom of Noise.’ Everywhere we go we hear background noise. If the noise isn’t provided for us, we can bring our own via iPod. Even our church services have that same restless energy. There is little space to be still before God. We want our money’s worth, so something should always happen. We are uncomfortable with prayer.”
One of the subtlest hindrances to prayer is probably the most pervasive. In the broader culture and in our churches, we prize intellect, competency, and wealth. Because we can do life without God, praying seems nice but unnecessary. Money can do what prayer does, and it is quicker and less time-consuming. Our trust in ourselves and in our talents makes us structurally independent of God. And as a result, exhortations to pray don’t stick.”
“Learning to pray doesn’t offer us a less busy life; it offers us a less busy heart.”
“What does heavy laden feel like? … You have so many problems you don’t even know where to start. You can’t do life on your own anymore. Jesus wants you to come to him that way! Your weariness drives you to him.”
“If we think we can do life on our own, we will not take prayer seriously.”
Quotes taken from Paul Miller’s A Praying Life (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2009).
shane lems
Thanks for your review of a book that helps us relax and see prayer in a new light.