Step Eleven - The Purpose of Prayer and Meditation

 STEP 11- THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION

As we continue our journey through the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous we come to Step Eleven which reminds us that we:

Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out.

I don’t know what you pray about but if I think about my own prayers then I think I pray about lots of things that are more about me and my agenda than about knowing God’s will for me and the power to carry that out in this day.  How about you?

Now, there’s nothing wrong with bringing our needs, our hopes, our frustrations, our “anything” to God.  I hope we do that.  But we’ll do well when we prioritize praying for God’s will for us and the power to carry it out. First we have to know what that is but God promises to show us when we ask.

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5

Once we know God’s good plan for us we realize that no day is wasted.  There’s a lesson for us in everything.  God is able to work in everything we bring to Him for good for all.  (How amazing is that!)

Now it’s all well and good to know that plan and to even want to carry out the plan but we all know that far far too often we fall short.  God’s generous offer to us today is not only knowledge of His will but also the power to live it. 

God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.  Philippians 2:13

So Heavenly Father, we are here today because we need to both know Your will for our lives today and to experience Your power at work in us so we can carry that out. 

We want to spend quiet time with You and pray and meditate so we get to know You better because we don’t “get” unfailing love all that well and if we did, we’d act more consistently with what You say.  Help us to get beyond simply knowing facts about You to the place where we get to know You intimately and trust You with all our hearts.

Once again today we want to turn our will and our life over to Your care, God.  As we do, we trust You to work in us to help us change.  Help us to hear from You and correctly interpret the ongoing events in our lives by what You tell us and then to put Your directives into practice.

We welcome the work of Your Holy Spirit in us today as You reveal Your will for our lives. Help us to live humbly before You and honour You in all our ways.  Amen