A Slower Kind of Prayer
[This reflection by Dazz Jones was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 17/May/2026]
If you know me at all, you’ll know I’m usually on the go. I like moving, doing, fixing, planning – and if I’m honest, slowing down isn’t always my natural setting. Part of that is just personality, and part of it is tied up with my adult ADHD: my brain can feel like it’s running five tabs at once, and silence can feel … loud.
So when we talk about contemplation this Sunday – the kind of prayer that’s about stillness, listening, and simply being with God – I can’t pretend it’s the easiest thing in the world for me. And yet, it’s something I’ve discovered I don’t just benefit from … I actually need.
Because prayer isn’t only about bringing a list to God (as important as that is). It’s also about learning to be present with Him. Prayer is relationship, not performance. And sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is stop striving for long enough to remember: God is here.
That’s why the Bible’s invitation in Psalm 46 lands so powerfully: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Not “be still once you’ve sorted everything out” – just be still. In a world full of noise, distraction, and hurry, God invites us to slow down and become aware of His presence.
This kind of prayer can feel strange at first, especially if you’re used to “doing” your way through life. But contemplation isn’t about emptying your mind or trying to achieve some perfect calm. It’s simply making space – space to breathe, space to notice, space to listen, space to be loved.
For me, it also takes discipline. Not in a harsh, guilty way – more like the discipline of choosing what’s good for me even when I don’t feel like it. The discipline of putting the phone down. The discipline of not filling every silence. The discipline of believing that I don’t have to earn God’s attention – I already have it.
If you find prayer easy or awkward, whether your life feels calm or chaotic, whether you’re new to faith or you’ve followed Jesus for years – you’re invited to have a go this week. Let’s learn again that prayer isn’t just something we do with words.
Sometimes it starts with simply being still … and letting God be God.
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Last Sunday’s reflection: Let’s Go For A Boat Ride by Michael Goble
Contributed by Dazz Jones; © Dazz Jones