Entering into Effortless Prayer

 
by Madame Guyon  Issue #22 January/February 2001 

Are you gradually sensing God's presence more and more with you as you kneel in prayer?

Good! Because you should soon enjoy a continual sense of God's presence, which will become natural for you. His presence as well as prayer should soon become almost habitual to you. You should be aware of an unusual serenity that comes over you in prayer.

This, dear one, is, indeed, God communicating His love to you. It is the beginning of the blessedness too great to describe.

Oh, how I would love to pursue this subject and to continue to share with you what progress can be made in experiencing God through prayer! But I am writing basically for beginners; and, in the Lord's timing, you will experience all God has for you.

It is important now that you cease from self-action and self-exerting in attempting to experience His presence. God Himself can act alone.

God said to David, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).

We, the created, sometimes become so infatuated with love and attachment to our own works that we walk in disbelief unless we can feel, know, and distinguish the completed work.

God's operations, His manner, and His swiftness are simply unable to be discerned. As the Creator's workings abound more and more with us, they will absorb our own self-efforts.

It seems as though the stars shine more brightly before the sun rises and gradually vanish as the light advances. They have not really become invisible. A greater light has simply absorbed the lesser light.

This is also the case with your self-effort in prayer. Since God's light is so much greater, it absorbs our little flickers of activity. They will grow faint and eventually disappear until all self-effort to experience God is no longer distinguishable.

I have heard the accusation from some that this is a "prayer of inactivity." They are wrong. Such charges come from the inexperienced. Those who have attained God's presence in prayer by relinquishing self-effort can address this question because they are full of light and knowledge.

Indeed, those who have experienced God have done so because God had first chosen to meet with them. No amount of self-effort will bring you into His presence.

The fullness of grace will still the activity of self. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that you remain as silent as possible.

Let the nourishment flow.

When an infant draws milk from his mother, he begins by moving his little mouth and lips. But once his nourishment begins to flow abundantly, he then remains quite content to swallow without any further effort.

This is how we must act in the beginning of our prayer. Move your lips in praise and in affection; but as soon as the milk of divine grace flows freely, in stillness, take it in. When it ceases to flow, again stir up your affection as the infant moves his lips.

Do not force into this beautiful act of grace the multiplicity of self!

Who could believe that gently and without exertion we can receive our nourishment as a babe receives his milk? Yet, the more peaceful a child remains, the more nourishment he receives. He may even fall asleep while nursing.

This is how your spirit should be in prayer. Peaceful, relaxed, and without effort.

God's presence is not a stronghold to be taken by force or violence. His is a kingdom of peace, which can only be gained through love. God demands nothing extraordinary or difficult. On the contrary, He is greatly pleased by a simple, childlike conduct.

The most glorious attainments in prayer are those [that] are most easily reached. If you want to reach the ocean, sail a boat down the river. Eventually, without exertion or effort, you will find the greater waters.

Are you ready now to find God? Are you willing to follow this sweet and simple path? If your answer is yes, then you will surely find your object of destination.

Oh, just once try this way of prayer. Soon you will find that your own experience will carry you infinitely beyond what my few words have taught you.

What is it that you fear?

Why don't you instantly cast yourself into the arms of Jesus, who extended His arms on the cross that He might embrace you?

What risk do you run in abandoning yourself wholly to Him?

Oh, Jesus will not deceive you; He will only bestow on you a greater abundance than you ever had hoped for.

Those who lean toward their own understanding and their own self-effort may hear this rebuke of God spoken by His prophet Isaiah: "Ye have wearied yourselves in the multiplicity of your ways, and have not said, let us rest in peace" (Is. 57:10).

 

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About the author:
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Madame Guyon (1648�?717) was a French mystic whose writings had great impact on theological circles of her day. Her teachings brought both disciples and enemies. For a time, she was confined to a convent.

This article was taken from a modern version of Guyon's book Experiencing God through Prayer. © 1984 Whitaker House, 30 Hunt Valley Circle, New Kensington, PA 15068. Used by permission. It is available at your local Christian bookstore.