The Power of the Pause

I know prayer is important. I’ve seen the power God can release through it. But during my renewal leave, I had to face something I don’t like admitting: my prayer life was out of whack. 

Somewhere along the way, in my busyness, I had allowed prayer to become a routine task — something to check off the to‑do list. I prayed over my meals. I prayed for you, for friends, for family members I’d promised to pray for. I kept my promises. But what was missing was the deeper rhythm of simply being with God.

                                     "Prayer isn’t a box to check —
                                     it’s a relationship to nurture."

I wasn’t taking time to talk with God about what was happening in my life — my joys, my fears, my gratitude, my weariness. And even more, I wasn’t making space to let God speak to me. I was so focused on keeping up my promises to others that I rationalized away the time needed for silence, listening, and rest in God’s presence.

Scripture kept reminding me that so many of God’s people had to withdraw before they could truly hear God’s voice:  Moses in the wilderness, Elijah in the cave, Jonah in the belly of the great fish, even Jesus in the quiet hillsides. In those spaces, stripped of distraction and control, they not only heard God’s voice but discovered a fresh dependence on God’s strength instead of their own.

                                  Silence isn’t empty — it’s the space
                                  where we hear God’s voice.

As we enter the fall season, with school schedules, Bible studies, and all the activities that come with it, I invite you to join me in returning to the basics. Don’t let prayer be something you check off. Let it be time spent in the company of the One who loves you most, listening for God’s whisper, speaking your heart honestly, and trusting God’s presence in every part of your day.

With Gratitude,

Rev. Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC