Sometimes Jesus said that the best way to pray is to go to your room, close the door and talk to God on your own. But, at other times, he teaches his disciples to pray in a group.
So what's the answer? Which way is best?
Well, of course, all kinds of prayer are good. And sometimes it's better to pour out your heart in private. But sometimes it is really enhancing and encouraging to pray as a group.
Last Sunday, after our morning Church services, I got together with three people to pray. We prayed that God would give us a picture, some words or a sign of encouragement. We then waited in prayer for about five minutes. And here's what happened.
First, one person said she heard the words 'Be still and know that I am God.' Secondly, another person had a sense of being seated on top of the Church looking down and seeing the whole congregation being really happy and joyful. Then, another person said he also had a picture of looking down from the top of the Church and seeing two trees in blossom and everyone full of joy - even one particular member of the community who has been very negative recently. On top of all this, I heard the words, 'May your joy be complete' and saw an image of a heart emoji expanding and bursting into hundreds of tiny little heart emojis.
So what do you think?
Was God trying to tell us something? Was God encouraging us?
And how much more powerful was this encouragement - by God speaking to each one of us individually at the same time? And then, through our sharing of what we'd seen and heard, how much greater and more affirming was this encouragement and sense of blessing?
Subscribe here and then I can invite you to join our closed Facebook group - which is a private group where we can share any words or pictures that God is saying or showing us - as this may be a great encouragement to someone else, who may be receiving a similar message.
Often we are not sure if a picture or word is from God. Or from our own heads. But, when others receive the same message independently and that message is full of love and encouragement, then we can be sure that God behind it.
Posted by Martine Oborne