Our Need for Interior Prayer‘ is not fully evident to us, but the closer that we come to Jesus through the Power of the Holy Spirit, the more we will desire and understand that we need to develop and fulfill Our need for Interior Prayer in our life to be able to grow closer to God.

Written on 5/20/20 – ‘Our Prayer – should open our hearts to the Source of love . . . God.’

God talks to us about the small things in our lives that we need to change — or adjustments we need to make — He begins to deal with us . . . where we are! He will help us get rid of the things that hold us back (I feel that — is — the sins in our lives). — He has to train us how to be led by the Holy Spirit. If we disobey these little promptings — we won’t graduate to the bigger Blessings.

For me the Peace Prayer Chaplet Bracelets were the beginning of my’ –  L-i-s-t-e-n-i-n-g’ — that led me to the ‘Fullness’ of the Charisms.

God told me once — “Because you have been faithful in small things I will put you in charge over larger things.” When I looked back — I can see He was referring to the ‘Peace Prayer Chaplets’ that I began making in 2010. At first I made one for myself; then I loved the Peace that I received from praying it so much — I decided to make one for my sisters — then friends — a total of 13. They were made by twisting wires and looked much like a small Rosary. Each one took me two and a half hours to make … and making them — began to hurt my right shoulder. I started praying the Rosary – WHILE – I was making each one . . . and while I was making the tenth (10) one – I heard very distinctly in my mind . . . “You have to work a little faster! You have to make them for the masses!” I answered, “OK! But it won’t be this way!”

Each one of these also cost me over $2.50 to make. Not very much you might think — but that was the most financially devastating time of our lives. Due to a ‘knee injury — on the job’ – – – I had been reduced from 55 + hours a week — to 16 hours . . . simply because they could.

This taught me to trust God for Everything! We were on the verge of loosing our home when God asked me to do this for Him. At first — it was just about making a few Chaplets. I had to squeeze the $20.00 out of my grocery money for the supplies . . . and as I continued to be obedient to God — the desire to make more for other people came into my heart . . . when my supplies were running low . . . Money would appear. Even though I could not afford this Mission that God gave me to do for Him — I felt compelled to encourage others to pray for ‘Peace’ in their lives . . .  and in the world. He — supplied me the money to do it with. My husband and I felt ‘compelled to ‘Give them away!’ to anyone and everyone who would accept them. I began counting them when I took them to be Blessed . . . and in two and a half years – I had made and given away over Twelve Thousand of them (12,000 )– then I quit counting … I made instructions on HOW to make them and  where to buy the supplies. They went to Watch, Cursillo, Teens Encounter Christ Retreats, A whole Company being deployed to Afghanistan, Haiti, and Charismatic Conferences., and they traveled throughout the United States with other people making them, They even went to Japan with a Methodist Emmaus Retreat Group! They have crossed Religious Barriers! And none of this was about me! I was only doing what I was asked to do . . . to be — ‘Obedient to the Holy Spirit’ . . . and He did the Rest! I was ‘Faithful’ to my Calling of the Holy Spirit and His Spouse Mary . . . the Mother of God!

Although I have been touched many times by God throughout my life . . . this is what I refer to as: ‘The Beginning of my ‘Deeper Relationship with God.’ We must be willing to hear His voice in the small things . . . to be able to reach a level of ‘Intimacy with God,” —– a place where we hear His voice and are launched into new places in the Spirit —- ‘Obedience‘ to God is most important!

SO — what is ‘Intimacy? Alyssa Mancao, LCSW, recently posted, “Fostering a sense of closeness in any relationship (romantic or otherwise) requires a combination of all -‘Four types of intimacy’ – emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical. Only one (1) includes touching.(October 29,2019)

It involves being open – and discussing your thoughts and emotions, letting your guard down (being vulnerable), and showing someone else how you feel — and what your hopes and dreams are. Intimacy is built up over time, and it requires patience and effort from both partners to create and maintain. Intimacy does not have to be sex. Intimacy is about the real, deep connection you create with your partner.’ (Google dictionary.)

The Intimacy that God desires with every human being is, ‘To be deeply Known by us and for us to Know Him Deeply!” To increase ‘Intimacy with anyone — including God . . . happens only when we make time to “BE — with Him!’ and to have deeply emotional conversations, Relish the routine! God will give you Graces that makes it ‘Hard’ for you to walk away from! That is a beginning of ‘Intimacy with God.’ He wants us to reveal out ‘true selves’ to Him. From the moment of our Creation . . . we are in a relationship with God . . .whether we realize it or not. St. Augustine says in his book ‘Confessions,’ “God is closer to us than we are to ourselves.” He knows EVERYTHING about us! so don’t try to hide our weaknesses and sorrows from Him. God challenges us to live more like Jesus did, He IS our example! We are created to love, forgive and reflect the image and likeness of God . . .our Creator. Thomas Merton said in his book ‘New seeds of Contemplation,‘ “It is in discovering God – that we come to know our true selves . . . our connection to God is our true cornerstone and foundation of all our relationships . . . In order to truly know another, I must know myself and to truly know myself I must first know God. (excerpts from, ‘The Intimate Journey of Relationship with God.‘ by a Franciscan Friar)

(Matthew 18: 3-) Jesus said, ‘ Truly I say to you, unless you convert, and become as the little children, not at all you -can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, whoever will humble himself as this little child, this one is the greater in the Kingdom of Heaven.“ (Greek, Hebrew, English Bible) So, we must ‘Become like little children.’

To come to this place of ‘Intimacy with God’ is recognition of’ Our need for Interior Prayer,’ and  — will take Trustful-Surrender of your thoughts to the Holy Spirit. I always begin my ‘Quiet Prayer’ with The Sign of the Cross . . . and then call upon Jesus’ name in my mind … trying to ‘Quiet my mind of the Events of yesterday … and projects of today and tomorrow . . . I call for the ‘Holy Spirit to come and fill my mind with what He wants me to learn today . . . I rest there — and s-l-o-w-l-y say, “Jesus . . . Jesus . . . Jesus . . . and try to R-e-s-t- . . . in His Name . . . Those words of ‘Oral Prayer,’ Calling upon the Holy Spirit to come and fill my heart with the love of God . . . are the beginning of your time with God. It will take a lot of Practice to come to this ‘Quiet Space’ with God. You will need to choose a time and place with little distractions . . . and then no matter what is going on in your life . . .S-h-o-w—u-p-!  In the beginning . . .I would set a timer for twenty minutes.  It seem like forever. But try to be faithful to it. My time gradually grew to 30 then 40 minutes sometimes. It’s a wonderful place to be with God. If you have to shorten your time . . . it’s fine . . . just don’t break your promise to God! Always show-up! God draws us to this Prayer and we come to understand, ‘Our need for Interior Prayer.’

Scripture says; “Your sheep know Your Voice – and will not follow the voice of a Stranger.” We get to know Jesus by spending time with Him in the Silence of our hearts to ‘know His voice.

Don’t look for HUGE Revelations! God speaks with simple instructions — this is how He first speaks to us — ‘simply’ — and it continues for the rest of our lives here on earth – if — we make the time. Obedience — in the simple things is very important to God — it reveals the willingness of our heart. And the Holy Spirit will touch our hearts with the understanding of ‘Our need for Interior Prayer.’ 

I have written a book called ‘Christ in our Midst’ that is about ‘The Fruits, Gifts and Charisms of the Holy Spirit. It teaches us about the All of the Isaiah Spiritual Gifts with Piety being the one about Prayer. Also there are Charisms about ‘Prayer’ in ‘Christ in our Midst.’

 God Bless you 

Clairann

To read more go to  ‘Prayer’ New

To read more go to ‘Interior Prayer’