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By: Pastor Peter Schlicht

I’ll be completely honest, my prayers are mostly monologues. I speak to God and then my prayer time is done. The words only flow in one direction. Most of the time my prayers are silent, just in my head. In other words, it doesn’t feel like a conversation—at least not like one I’ve ever had with another human. But if the God of the Bible is a sender and not just a receiver, does he talk back? Some say he puts thoughts and visions in our head. Others say he directs our minds to certain parts of Scripture, where he then communicates to us directly. 

While it’s possible that God can communicate to us in these ways, it’s not how he does it most often in the Bible. The Bible doesn’t usually use the language of conversation in connection with prayer. Instead, it most often describes prayer as praise, lament, thanksgiving, confession, and petition—unilateral actions. There are examples of two-way communication, but these sort of occasions in the Bible are notable because of their rarity. The usual silence that characterizes God’s response to prayer leads us to marvel at the times in sacred history when he chose to answer directly. 

I am not a cessationist, one who believes that the Lord will never directly answer prayers anymore. I do not deny the truth that the Lord does graciously lead us by his Spirit. I will never try to limit God. But I also know that if you approach personal prayer expecting a dialogue, you will no doubt be disappointed. Our Lord, in his wisdom, chooses not to give us direct revelation in most cases. 

Let this be a loving caution: If you demand an answer from God in prayer, you will turn the privilege of talking to the Almighty into a faithless test. If you try to imagine his voice speaking in prayer, you will risk projecting your own desires as the movement of the Holy Spirit. If you think that prayer is like a human conversation, you will feel like God has “left you on read” or despises your prayers—neither of which is true of our loving Father’s affection. Personal prayer is about our relationship with God, but it isn’t a “conversation” as we usually employ the word.

Yet, though I wouldn’t call personal prayer a conversation, I am certain that God hears our prayers and responds for our good. I don’t expect a “spiritual experience” every time I close my eyes and bow my head, but I do trust through faith that the Almighty Lord cares about me and my little life. I trust that he delights to hear me confessing my sin and reveling in his forgiveness. I trust that he is truly going to work in powerful ways for my good when I ask, even if my tiny brain asks for something entirely foolish. I trust that my Father hears me and that his power and his promises are true. In an intimate way, personal prayer without any expectation of reply displays the integrity of our faith as we trust what God has revealed about himself in the Bible. 

This is why personal prayer often pairs well with the reading of Scripture. I’m not saying that you can’t sit down and pray unless you have a Bible open. I’m saying that you should have a regular diet of God’s Word and Sacrament to keep your prayers correctly focused. Without a regular habit of worship and devotion, prayer can easily devolve into something we do to impress God or something we try to use like a vending machine.

So don’t worry if you can’t hear God’s voice speaking to you as some people talk about. Don’t worry if you don’t feel this certain type of transcendent experience. Practice your faith and talk to your God. He will answer in his own way and his own time. Personal prayer is about your relationship with God. God bless you as you express your love and trust in him through prayer this month.

 [This is Personal Prayer Part 2 of 3. Part 1 talked about “Going Deep” in prayer and Part 3 will answer the question, “What should I talk about?”. Stay tuned and thanks for reading.]