Talking to God Every Day
Years later, after that driveway encounter, I can now better claim that I "talk to God every day."
When I met my neighbor who lives across from me for the very first time, we naturally shared about our careers. He mentioned that he worked as a public health inspector within the restaurant industry. He had some very interesting stories to share. I mentioned that I served as a clergy within the Christian tradition. My stories were not as interesting. A few weeks later, I encountered him again along with his six-year-old son outside their home. This time around, his son was the one who asked me what I did for work. Before I could respond, his father chimed in, "You know, Barnabas* talks to God every day."
On the one hand, it was a flattering response. My neighbor, who wasn't a believer in God, knew enough about my profession to declare with confidence that I had some connection to God and that it was my "job" to converse with Him every day. On the other hand, I felt a bit uneasy by my neighbor's response. The uneasiness came from knowing that the statement he made to his son was not completely true. At the time, I didn't talk to God every day and it felt quite hypocritical to claim that I did or to even mildly present myself in such a light. I smiled at my neighbor's response but deep down inside, I knew the truth: I struggled with having a consistent prayer life. That brief encounter with my neighbor and his son got me thinking about the role of prayer in the life of someone who claims to be a believer in God. It put me on a slow and steady search for what it looks like to connect deeply with the true and living God every single day.
Years later, after that driveway encounter, I can now better claim that I "talk to God every day." In fact, it's my practice these days to spend three to four hours in prayer and meditation each and every day. I reveal that not to boast about my prayer habits but to inspire others to think a little differently about their own times with the Lord. Many are simply scratching the surface when it comes to their relationship with Christ.
There is so much more to discover, experience, and receive that only arises out of a thoughtful and robust prayer life with God.
*If you haven’t guessed it already, Barnabas is my pen name.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
