Sep 28, 2018 filed under Faith.

Torrent water and island

I read a good book this week on how to avoid distractions in prayer. I thought of Psalm 42:7: “Here deep calls to deep in the roaring of your torrents.”

The psalmist was likely talking about the “torrents” of misfortune in his life, but it made me think of my distractions in prayer and how I can avoid the torrents of random thoughts and worries that flood me when I try to listen to God.

Jesus is the deepest, the inmost core of us. We are created in His image and He calls out to us—calls to the Jesus in us—in the roaring of the waters of our distractions and concerns.

When I am able to listen to Him, he seems to say, “Let the roaring stop—so that I may recognize myself in You and your divine core may grow to make you more and more like me.”

Jesus, the Divine Word, calls to us, beckons us to draw closer to Him that He may calm the roaring waters of our lack of trust, our pride, unforgiveness, and sloth.

Deep calls out to deep: Let me heal you, comfort you. “How often I have longed to gather [you] as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused (Lk 13:34).”

Deep calls out to deep offering to help us carry our cross: “Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened and I will give you rest (Mt 11:28).” I will give you rest from your worries, your sadness, feelings of inadequacy, your fears.

Lord, how often are the torrents that flood over me of my own making? How often out of pride do I push forward doing things without asking your help? How often do I reject the peace of realizing you are at my side?

May we listen to His call, take shelter under His wings, and and let Him still our roaring waters in the torrent of his blood.

Love always,
Rose

P.S. You can get Distractions: a step-by-step guide on how to stay focused during prayer at philipkosloski.com.

8 Responses to “How to Keep Your Nose Above Water (Spiritually)”

  1. Tom Kreutzer

    Rose, thank you. I just read this as I am about to meditate with the every day world doing cartwheels in my head.

    • Rose Folsom

      Tom,
      If you, who’ve meditated for decades, have cartwheels, is there any hope for the rest of us? Fred still quotes you, “If a mosquito bites during meditation, that’s your meditation.” That line has helped me to realize that discomfort, interior or exterior, isn’t an excuse to quit. That God is at work in the meditation whether I “feel like it” or not.
      Rose

  2. Tom Roberts

    Roaring waters! You hit the nail on the head. It wasn’t until I joined a contemplative prayer group at our church several months ago that I really became aware of the roaring waters, actually a powerful undercurrent of fear and negativity that were integral to my life. Your quote from Mt 11:28 “Come to me all you who labor and are overburdened and I will give you rest.” gives me a place to go; a big green restart button. It’s a chance to explore alien concepts; optimism for example.

    • Rose Folsom

      Tom,
      I was intrigued by Cheri’s comment that she likes the “roaring” because, if I understood her correctly, it’s the sign that her ego is making noise before settling down for a heart-to-heart with Christ. I’m going to try seeing it that way!
      Rose

  3. Joanne Connell

    Thank you Rose keep me in your prayers. I am having a procedure tomorrow. Fasting today for it. Pray for my Husband Matt Connell that we can get our finances in order. He had to retire for his job for health reason. I am looking for am other Partime job as we transition. It will get my hands on the situation book in prayer as you suggested. Thank you Rose and May God bless your Sunday.

    • Rose Folsom

      Joanne,
      Prayed and praying. I trust the procedure went as planned. God bless you and Matt as you transition to a new way of thriving.
      Rose

  4. Cheri Albaugh

    Thank you Rose. My knower knows God … keep down inside of me, the heart of Jesus is my refuge. I love the beginning of meditation and prayer, the noise, the chaos, sadness. All these are parts of me, ego, pride and the like. I begin with an offering to quiet the waters. And then I breath. I remember He says “be still waters”.
    For me, if I do not go to confession often enough, or pray with meditation enough both are the same. A lot of babal, a lot of chatter, then the real heart to heart begins.

    • Rose Folsom

      Cheri,
      Reading your words is a meditation in itself. Thank you for sharing your beautiful observations on finding the Heart that is always waiting for us!
      Rose