Flirting With DarknessSample

Weapon #1: Prayer

I pray best when I get out of my chair and take a walk.

Nothing fortifies my soul, buttresses my concentration, clears my mind, or makes me feel a surge of inner peace as much as a good prayer walk. Nothing has been more helpful to me in overcoming depression than a good brisk walk—just me and God.

The Bible records the stories of those who “walked with God,” and I’m pretty sure that, for many of them, actual walking was involved.

Adam walked with God in the cool of the day. Enoch walked with God and was translated into His presence. Paul told his fellow believers that they should walk worthy of the calling they have received. God invited Abraham to “walk before me” (Genesis 17:1).

I especially love long walks on the beach. I know that sounds like something from an online dating profile, but it’s true. When I can take a trek along the ocean shore and literally talk out loud with God, I am more fulfilled than at almost any other time. We chat about my dreams and desires, and He gives me such a superabundance of hope that I leave my one-on-one with Him having loads of encouragement to share with others.

My prayer walks fill me full so that I have something to give to others. At the same time, they soothe my spirit, remove the smog from my noggin, and put a pep in my step.

I’ve heard people suggest there is something self-centered about praying for yourself. This isn’t remotely true. There is nothing selfish about praying for your own needs. Frankly, this should probably be priority one for your time of prayer. Have you ever noticed that in the Psalms, the prayer book of the Bible, nearly all the psalms contain an expression of passionate concern for the situation in which the writer finds himself? Also, nearly half of them contain laments—statements of hurt and complaint and general expressions of unhappiness. These are a big part of what happens when we pray candidly.

Be honest. Raw. Real. Talk to Him like you would talk to your most trusted friend, and don’t worry about pious posturing or trying to say the correct thing. Jesus told His disciples that He no longer called them servants but friends (John 15:15). Like Abraham and Moses, you’re invited to talk face-to-face, just the way you would open up to your bestie.