Approaches to Prayer - With Pencil and Paper

USE OF THE VISUAL

Ideas to Try:

With pencil and paper

Contrasting images

Meditating
with pictures

Meditation
on the word ‘spring'

Meditating
with an icon

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With Pencil and Paper

display Most of us tend to say 'I cannot draw!' But all of us can scribble or draw little pin people: all of us can draw simple diagrams which show things in relation to each other. Often this kind of work with paper and pencil reveals new patterns and new insights which can be turned into prayer. It is so easy to think we can only use words in our expression of God. Probably little ‘stick people’ are no more inadequate to express God in our lives than many of the very trite words we often use!

In doing this exercise it is wise to remind people that their drawings are for their eyes only.

EXERCISE

Draw some representation of what God means to you. Then depict yourself in relationship to God in whatever manner seems appropriate to you.

Either on another sheet of paper or by altering your first drawing now depict how you wish God might be for you and how you wish you could be in relationship with God.

Now draw onto either sheet what are the things which seem to get in the way of God being for you as you would wish.

Now pray your pictures in silence in whatever way is helpful to you. For example, ponder your pictures in the light of one of the sayings below:

I have come that you might have Life and have it in all its fullness. (John 10:10 GNB)

Whoever finds me finds Life. (Proverbs 8:35 REB)

Or ask God for what you feel you need and give thanks for all God has made known of Himself to you.

CONTENTS

With Pencil and Paper

EXERCISE