There once was a man who loved Jesus with his whole heart. He also loved his family, served the church faithfully, and gave sacrificially, often in secret. When an evangelist joined his family for dinner the night before a revival, this man confided in the evangelist that he felt uncomfortable praying aloud in church. So, what did the evangelist do? He called on this man to pray during the revival. The congregation closed their eyes on cue but the man stood up and politely said, “No thank you” and sat back down.
That man was my paternal grandfather and I’m quite proud of him. Proud, you say? Yep. He wasn’t a hypocrite. Sure, he could’ve stood up, put on a certain air of confidence and spurted out eloquent words in an attempt to save face, but I suppose that prayer would’ve only reached the height of the chandeliers dangling overhead.
Jesus has something to say about those kinds of prayers.
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 5:5-6
Jesus doesn’t deny the need for public prayer. He prayed publicly, as did the early church. And there’s nothing wrong if someone hears us pray. Jesus is simply getting to the heart of the matter: The motive.
“Do not have as your motive the desire to be known as a praying man. Get an inner chamber in which to pray where no one knows you are praying, shut the door, and talk to God in secret.” Oswald Chambers
God meets us in the secret place. It’s there we hibernate⏤where we are not seen, just as God is not seen. The King James Version refers to this place as a closet.
I don’t know about you, but my closet isn’t the first place that comes to mind when I think of meeting God in prayer.
I’m more liable to get a concussion from falling debris than I am finishing my prayer. Thankfully, we’re not bound to a closet or a particular room. Maybe it’s a corner, or a desk, outside, or in an outdoor shed. It’s more about finding a place to pray that’s free from distractions and the temptation to be heard. {Party of two, please!}
But it’s not just any prayer meeting. The word Jesus uses in Matthew 5 to describe the room or closet is derived from the word tamion, which makes me a tad giddy because it describes the inner rooms of ancient Hebrew homes that were used as a storehouse or a place of protection.
When we hibernate in prayer, we come to a place of abundance, not scarcity.
God is our storehouse. We step foot into our own tamion and find He is already there. We ask for wisdom. James 1:5 says God gives it to us generously without finding fault. We ask for physical healing, financial provision, boldness to share the gospel, or the return of a wayward child.
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20
“God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, but you may be aware of three of them.” John Piper
God is our place of protection. Spiritual attacks, temptation, anxiety⏤whatever requires His protection this side of heaven, God stands ready to provide it from a place of abundance.
We have God’s full attention and He has ours, there in the secret place. But first, we must come.
Jot down hibernation dates on your calendar.
The power of prayer floods the heavenlies, whether it’s done publicly, privately, or spontaneously. It’s all biblical. But hibernating in prayer requires intentionality⏤giving a hint as to its power. When we are deliberate in making time to meet with God we can testify that unexpected circumstances begin to happen. Our perspective becomes sharper, our hope takes flight, and we move through our days with deeper purpose.
Be content with a heavenly reward.
Yes, those rewards which bring immediate gratification like a slick, newly painted wall are enjoyable but they’re temporal. Those who pray “the right words” in order to impress others receive their reward right there on the spot. When we pray in secret with pure motives, God says He will reward us. I tend to believe the reward is the fact that our almighty God bends to hear the quiet desires of His children, and answers those prayers for our ultimate good. But perhaps there’s even more?
Pray aloud.
So, how do we know if we’re hibernating in the right spot? We’ll feel comfortable praying aloud. I can’t explain it, but when audible words meet the inaudible desires of my heart it feels as if a victorious tag-team is taking place in my soul. And yet, there will be days when we have no words, and that’s okay, too. Romans 8:26 says the Holy Spirit stands ready to intercede for us with groanings too deep for words. There is no right or wrong way to pray in our Father’s presence.
When we intentionally spend time with God in secret, our soul awakens to divine possibilities that surround us every day. Maybe we’ll discover that it’s possible to spontaneously pray for the weary mom behind us in the check-out line. Or to become who God created us to be, flaws and all, for His glory. Or maybe, just maybe, we find the courage to pray aloud in a church gathering.
“Awake, my soul!” Psalm 57:8
Thank you Cathy. I have always felt uncomfortable praying in public. I know I’m not the only one. I feel like I would fumble my words and not make any sense. I know God doesn’t care what is said or how it is said but people are a different story. I will just keep praying that God will give me the strength to one day be able to lead a group in prayer until then my prayers will be done in private. God Bless
You’re definitely not alone, Jean. I hope you find rest (and joy!) in knowing that your private prayers are more than enough. Most of us will never be called on to pray in a public place but we are all called to pray. Thank you for sharing!
I think Matthew 6:21 really spoke to my heart this morning. I enjoy reading different versions of a scripture passage. The amplified version had in parentheses your wishes, your desires, that in which your life centers. Just read your blog (2nd time) and believe this is a good verse to pray for myself. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. I know this is not the first time I thank you for always being an encouraging Sister in the Lord and certainly won’t be the last. ❤❤
I couldn’t agree more, Elaine. Matthew 6:21 reminds, encourages, and convicts me to stay focused on the eternal and not the temporal. It’s a powerful verse to pray.
And you, my friend, encourage me so often. I thank God for you!
Praying aloud and reading scripture aloud make my pauses with God more personable. Giving voice to my prayers and scripture reading is so much more engaging to me. Therefore, my 2018 for myself is to consciously to read and speak aloud to God more often.
Teach on, Cathy.
Beautiful, Carolyn. ((( HUG )))
How do I comment without gushing? There is so much here I love – the story about your grandfather, “God is our storehouse, our place of protection” , the practical steps and invitation to hibernate in prayer. Thank you for a heart touching post that made me want to pray immediately. (I may have failed at the not gushing part)
Trust me, Liz, there was gushing going on as I typed that story about my grandfather so you’re in good company. 🙂 I can’t wait to give you a hug in person when I see you at the Asheville conference! Blessings to you, my friend.
I’m asking the LORD to draw me even closer in 2018.
Yes, Lord! I join you in that desire, Sandra. Thank you for taking the time to share. 🙂
This is great Cathy! I love prayer and the impact it has on my life and for those I’m praying. I like the part where you talk about praying aloud while alone. 🙂 I’m going to try that! I’m praying for more opportunities to help those who are far from God to come near to him.
Joining you in that prayer, Marcie. Whether we plant the seed, water it, or fertilize it, it all matters for the kingdom! God bless you and your desire to be used by Him in such a beautiful way. Thank you for sharing!
Cathy, I’m visiting from H*W and very much enjoyed reading. The first paragraph had me! I’ve taught my grandchildren about the first paragraph “hook” – you certainly have mastered it!
Thank you for stopping by my fellow Hope*Writer! Your feedback encourages me greatly. 🙂
When I ‘hibernate in prayer’ speaking feels as if I am disturbing quiet waters. There are times when those waters remain undisturbed and I know it was good. But, when I know God bids me to converse, my inhale feels full and expectant. Verbal expression flows into that quiet water and the ripples are a thing to behold. One thing I pray for myself is greater intimacy with our Father.
Beautifully put, Charla. The Holy Spirit leads us accordingly! 🙂 Love to you from the foothills of the Carolinas, my friend. Thank you for sharing.