Drawing Close to Our Father...

by confuzcious 10 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  confuzcious

  Even though I'm not going to meetings, I still have a tremendous need to draw closer to God.

  Since leaving, I do feel closer.

  Three things I've been doing...

  1) I stopped using Jehovah's name on a regular basis in my prayers. I feel Jesus' example of using Father is a lot more intimate.

  2) I stopped, what I call the fakey fake prayers. You might remember them. "Oh Jehovah, please bless the Governing Body, and bless the building work..." To me, those prayers always seemed like a show off type thing. It was like, "Look how Holy I am. I'm not even worried about praying for anything selfish."

  To me, a true child feels that his father is invincible. Not needing anything. But we are in need of him.

  Quite frankly, my prayers HAVE become more selfish. Because I NEED the help of my Father and the Living Christ.

  I'm not fake anymore. I need to pour out what is in my heart.

  Finally...

  And here's the most bizarre thing I started doing...

  3) I stopped praying before eating meals. I mean, when you were a kid, how many times before you ate your meal did you say, "Oh thank you dad for providing this meal."

  To me, I think that praying like that becomes mindless after awhile. I rather say one heartfelt prayer a week than "3 x 7" times a week on "meaningless" thank you's.

  Your thoughts???
• 

  Robdar

  Confuzcious,

  Isn't a spiritual path more fulfilling than a religious one?

  I think that you are on to something. IMO, prayer is conversation with God. How many friends, no matter how loving towards each other, want to call each other all the time and talk about nothing? Of course, sometimes that can be fun but it can get old afterwhile. Why should we treat our Heavenly Friend any differently?

  Have fun on your path and welcome to the board.

  Robyn
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  quinah

  Its been a while since I prayed, but I do agree that after a while u just go through the motions like praying before every meal. I used to find it really hard to try and vary my prayers, and not be repetitive, but just how many ways can u say thanx for food. That is one thing I used to feel guilty about, as if my relationship with Jehovah was not strong enough because some days I just couldn`t find much different to say at meal times. At least that is one thing I no longer have to struggle with
• 

  blondie

  confuczious,

  I too have been struggling with prayer since I have faded from the WTS.

  Even when my husband was dangerously ill in the hospital recently, I felt like I was in limbo.

  Your suggestions are very good and I will start right away putting them in practice. I especially liked this one:

  1) I stopped using Jehovah's name on a regular basis in my prayers. I feel Jesus' example of using Father is a lot more intimate.

  I have already stopped praying before meals.

  Blondie
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  nowisee

  "for you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. and by him we cry, "Abba, Father." -- rom. 8:15

  in the last year or so i have been able to draw closer to my Eternal Father, and i often think of the above words that desribe this intimate relationship. when as jws were we ever able to address our Father as "Abba" which is akin to Daddy or Papa?
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  JamesThomas

  Somewhere along the way there was a discovery that everything learned about God was untrue; for everything "learned" is but limited intellectual concepts, ideas and interpretations, a mental engraven image or idol. Somewhere along the way it was seen that the only limits or boundaries to the Source of the universe were fictitious creations of the mind. Now if there is prayer, if you can call it prayer, there is simply sitting and looking within for the Beloved; the truth of all Being. What is revealed is too intimate to speak of. JamesT
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  Francois

  " Now if there is prayer, if you can call it prayer, there is simply sitting and looking within for the Beloved; the truth of all Being. What is revealed is too intimate to speak of." - James Thomas

  Expressed in virtual perfection. Those who have also experienced such an inner revelation need no words to understand; for those who have not experienced such an inner revelation no amount of words would cause them to understand.

  I have stopped using the name "Jehovah" at all, since to my understanding that is not God's name; in fact, He has never revealed himself by name.

  I no longer affect a sinning slave's demeanor when addressing my Father. I am his son. I have every right to stand erect and look the heavens directly in the eye. Any "prayer" requesting something I need is not worship and I feel is routed to the appropriate cosmic being. My father knows what I need before I think to ask for it. Worship is the expression of the heart's love and the intellect's awe and wonder at the depth and infinity of the Fathers love and matchless character, and the physical expression of His creative genius. Worship is about God alone.

  No, I'm not perfect yet. That is a future goal set for me. It is not mine by right of attainment in this first life. Realizing that I am a son of God with a limitless future as a reward for doing the will of my Father is accomplishment enough for this life - all else is gravy.

  francois

  P.S. - J.T., not attempting to add to, nor to improve on your post since that couldn't be done. Just getting in my two cents which won't be denied. You know how it is.

  FT
• 

  Blueblades

  I have stopped praying .I can't draw close to someone I don't know.Someone who has not reveal himself to me ,even from within.While I cannot prove a creator exists whom I can call my Father and draw close to him,I do accept his existence.Now all that needs to be done to get me started on my journey is to listen for his whisper inside me.I'm listening,I'm waiting,???????????????????????????????????????
• 

  azaria

  simply sitting and looking within for the Beloved; the truth of all Being. What is revealed is too intimate to speak of.

  Those who have also experienced such an inner revelation need no words to understand; for those who have not experienced such an inner revelation no amount of words would cause them to understand.

  Any "prayer" requesting something I need is not worship and I feel is routed to the appropriate cosmic being. My father knows what I need before I think to ask for it. Worship is the expression of the heart's love and the intellect's awe and wonder at the depth and infinity of the Fathers love and matchless character, and the physical expression of His creative genius. Worship is about God alone.

  The two of you (James-Thomas & Francois) have a way with words.

  I agree with the term Jehovah. It’s a meaningless word. I’m sure most people here know of the Tetragrammaton YHWH. I’m not sure if this is true, but I did read that YHWH spells out the word to conceal. Originally the text of the Hebrew scriptures consisted of consonants without vowels. Later the name is termed the Shem HaMeforash "the explicit name". Because of its extreme sanctity the Tetragrammaton is never pronounced. Ado-nai "my Lord" is substituted for the Shem HaMeforash. Jehovah is a human manufacture which combines the consonants of the Shem HaMeforash with the vowels of Ado-nai. YaHoWaH. I believe I got this right.

  I had always thought prayer was about asking God for something. It can be, but I think more so if it’s for His glory. ie. asking for wisdom, understanding. Now I realize, like you, He already knows what I need. He just wants me to have a relationship with Him. Magic can then happen. It is impossible to explain the feeling. I believe that anyone can have this experience if they truly seek God with their heart. It may (as in my case) seem to take forever but when it happens it’s unmistakable. I think of my kids. I try to give them what they need, but I want them to take some time to be with me, to have a relationship. For the first time I know that God loves me and I can say to Him "I love you" If some think this is foolishness, then let me be a fool, a happy fool.
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  logansrun

  Francois,

  I admire your faith, I really do. I've tackled with the "God" question quite a bit lately. You see, I'm an unusual breed -- die-hard skeptic, but with an appreciation for the mystical and a desire for God. All this talk of just sitting there in prayerful meditation sound great. The thought of a loving Father with matchless qualities who will grant us immortal life is the zenith of what anyone could possibly ask for. I want that.

  But -- but -- how can you be so sure? I know you seem to rely on mystical experience of God. Fine. But, there are a lot of people who claim to have intense mystical experiences, many of whom hold opinions of God quite out of line with you. For a "born-again" Christian, their mystical experience with God entailed excusing the deplorable Yahweh's actions in the OT and all the blood and balderdash in the Bible. But, their faith based on experience is as strong as yours. At least one of you has to be wrong, no?

  So, the point I'm asking is, "how do you know?" I dread you will answer with a "you just know" response. Unless I have some amazing experience, I need more than that. Certainly, there has to be some logical coherence to your faith for it to be worthy of...of...faith!

  In my estimation (which is not just due to my personal reflection) any possible Deity that exists has not given proof of His/Her existence. None. Any "evidence" that a believer uses to "prove" God can also be explained without God (ie, the Anthropic principle). Sure, there is, I believe, possible circumstantial evidence for a creator, but that is just that -- circumstantial, not definitive. And, to make matters worse, even if you were to "prove" the existence of a Deity who created the universe, that says nothing of the attributes of the Deity. Just look at the universe and for every beutiful and pleasant thing I can cite two or three unpleasant aspects of existence. For ever flower there is a virus. For every sunset there is an earthquake. Why? If the God you talk about is so loving why does He allow these things (I will make the assumption He does not cause them)?

  So, I guess I'm asking for your opinion on logical proofs for God and theodicy. Perhaps there is no answer. Perhaps one must undergo a mystical experience such as yours to be comfortable with faith. But, then I would question if my own mind did not create such a cushion. Bah! What a conumdrum!

  Bradley