Another Side of Prayer
Illustration
Stories
Luke moved to one side of the walking trail without looking up. He knew at some level that there were people passing by, but he paid no attention to them. He didn’t know what he was going to do. His job was ending, and he had to figure out if he was going to go back to school, look for more work, or move to a different place. There were so many choices to make and he didn’t know what he could do or what he should do. He sighed loudly and saw a bench just ahead of him.
He sat down and got his water bottle out of his backpack. If he applied for school, he would end up wracking up more debt which was the last thing that he wanted to do. Yet on the other hand if he didn’t get more education he might be stuck doing the same boring work that he was doing now for the rest of his life. Of course, if he put in a few more years maybe he would be able to put some money aside for school and it would be easier. He sighed. He stared at the trail and wondered if he would ever sort things out.
“God,” he prayed softly. “I’m having a hard time sorting out my life. I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid of making the wrong choices.”
He went back to staring at the trail and trying to sort through the problems of his life. He thought of solutions and worried about what each choice would mean for him. He wished he just knew what he was supposed to do. He wished he knew what the future would bring.
“Is it okay if I join you?”
Luke looked up to see an older man with a small dog. “Sure. Lots of space.”
“Thanks.” The man sat down on the other end of the bench. “I always ask because some people are afraid of dogs.”
The dog sniffed at Luke’s feet and then curled up in the shade beneath the bench.
“He doesn’t look that frightening to me.”
The man laughed. “No, he is actually quite timid, but some people don’t like dogs.”
“True.” Luke went back to staring at the trail.
“Nice day,” the man said.
“It is,” Luke said half-heartedly. “Just taking a walk to clear my head.”
“The trail is good for that.” The man reached into his pocket and pulled out some treats which the dog ate quickly. “Nothing like fresh air and movement to help sort things out. I find I pray more here than I do anywhere else.”
Luke turned his head to one side. “You pray while you walk?”
“Absolutely.” The man smiled. “I walk Nero here and I listen to God while we do.”
“Listen to God? I thought you said you pray while you walk?”
“I make a habit of talking for the first part of my walk but when I get to the bench here I spend the rest of the time listening.” The man looked down the trail. “I find God speaks more clearly when I bother to pay attention.”
“I’ve been praying a lot about my life and could use some answers.” Luke paused. “I wish I could get some guidance and help to sort out my life. Everything is such a mess and I can’t see the way forward.”
“You know it will turn out okay, don’t you?”
Luke frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that no matter what you chose, no matter what you do, that God will still be there, you’ll still have a future, and that there will be joy and good things for you.”
Luke sighed. “I don’t want to make the wrong choice.”
“I find that the only wrong choice in life is not making any choice.” The man got to his feet and the dog went to his side. “Keep praying and don’t forget to listen.”
Luke watched the man and his dog head down the path until they were out of sight. He thought for a few moments and then closed his eyes. “God, I don’t know what to do with my life. Please help me make my choice and move forward.”
Luke opened his eyes and got up to head back home. He paused once more and took a deep breath.
“I’m listening,” he said softly before continuing on his way. With each step he knew that things were going to be okay because he was ready to listen to what God was saying.
*****************************************
StoryShare, July 24, 2022, issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
He sat down and got his water bottle out of his backpack. If he applied for school, he would end up wracking up more debt which was the last thing that he wanted to do. Yet on the other hand if he didn’t get more education he might be stuck doing the same boring work that he was doing now for the rest of his life. Of course, if he put in a few more years maybe he would be able to put some money aside for school and it would be easier. He sighed. He stared at the trail and wondered if he would ever sort things out.
“God,” he prayed softly. “I’m having a hard time sorting out my life. I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid of making the wrong choices.”
He went back to staring at the trail and trying to sort through the problems of his life. He thought of solutions and worried about what each choice would mean for him. He wished he just knew what he was supposed to do. He wished he knew what the future would bring.
“Is it okay if I join you?”
Luke looked up to see an older man with a small dog. “Sure. Lots of space.”
“Thanks.” The man sat down on the other end of the bench. “I always ask because some people are afraid of dogs.”
The dog sniffed at Luke’s feet and then curled up in the shade beneath the bench.
“He doesn’t look that frightening to me.”
The man laughed. “No, he is actually quite timid, but some people don’t like dogs.”
“True.” Luke went back to staring at the trail.
“Nice day,” the man said.
“It is,” Luke said half-heartedly. “Just taking a walk to clear my head.”
“The trail is good for that.” The man reached into his pocket and pulled out some treats which the dog ate quickly. “Nothing like fresh air and movement to help sort things out. I find I pray more here than I do anywhere else.”
Luke turned his head to one side. “You pray while you walk?”
“Absolutely.” The man smiled. “I walk Nero here and I listen to God while we do.”
“Listen to God? I thought you said you pray while you walk?”
“I make a habit of talking for the first part of my walk but when I get to the bench here I spend the rest of the time listening.” The man looked down the trail. “I find God speaks more clearly when I bother to pay attention.”
“I’ve been praying a lot about my life and could use some answers.” Luke paused. “I wish I could get some guidance and help to sort out my life. Everything is such a mess and I can’t see the way forward.”
“You know it will turn out okay, don’t you?”
Luke frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that no matter what you chose, no matter what you do, that God will still be there, you’ll still have a future, and that there will be joy and good things for you.”
Luke sighed. “I don’t want to make the wrong choice.”
“I find that the only wrong choice in life is not making any choice.” The man got to his feet and the dog went to his side. “Keep praying and don’t forget to listen.”
Luke watched the man and his dog head down the path until they were out of sight. He thought for a few moments and then closed his eyes. “God, I don’t know what to do with my life. Please help me make my choice and move forward.”
Luke opened his eyes and got up to head back home. He paused once more and took a deep breath.
“I’m listening,” he said softly before continuing on his way. With each step he knew that things were going to be okay because he was ready to listen to what God was saying.
*****************************************
StoryShare, July 24, 2022, issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
