I became aware of how powerful Centering Prayer was because it was a container for my consenting to not only God’s presence in my life, but also God’s action in my life.
– Carl J. Arico 

Sit with God

Silent prayer is a special time.

It is our time to sit with God.

It is like sitting quietly with a friend.

No words need to be said.

Silent prayer is the time for us to get out of the way.

We gently let go.

We open to God’s presence and action within us.

It can be helpful to have a special place to pray.

I begin my day with silent prayer.

I make my way to the basement.

I sit on the couch.

It is there that I begin my day with God.

On a workday, in the early afternoon, I get up from my work desk and walk to my car.

It does not matter how busy I am.

I sit in the driver’s seat.

I might crack a window or open the sunroof.

Then I sit in silence with God.

If I am not able to take an afternoon sit, I make room for an evening sit.

My evening sit is also in the basement.

I sit on the same couch as my morning sit.

I need both sits.

The morning sit prepares me for the day.

The afternoon or evening sit recharges me for the remainder of the day.

So what happens while we sit?

God acts deep within us.

We may not even know it.

But something is happening.

God does a great work within us.

And this work is unique.

It is specially tailored for you.

I often leave my sit a new person.

Silent prayer is not a sprint.

It is a marathon.

My job is to trust God each time I sit.

Let God work.

I usually recognize the fruits of God’s work during the non-silent portions of the day.

Sometimes I notice them.

Sometimes someone else notices them first.

I might be calmer.

More relaxed.

More peaceful.

I might find a solution to a problem I had struggled with.

I might finish tasks I had been avoiding.

I might reach out to someone who simply needs a listening ear.

I might notice something I had missed before.

That is the beauty of this practice.

The sit itself may seem quiet.

But God is not inactive.

God is working within us.

I highly recommend that you take time to be silent each day.

Sit with God.

Open to God’s presence.

Consent to God’s action within you.

Then trust what God is doing.

Go Further

If you would like to explore centering prayer more deeply, here are a few helpful places to begin:

A Taste of Silence by Carl J. Arico

Open Mind, Open Heart by Thomas Keating

And if you are new to centering prayer, I created a free guide to help you begin simply.

You do not need a perfectly quiet mind.

You do not need to do it perfectly.

You simply sit quietly, gently return, and open yourself to God’s presence and action within you.

👉 Download the free guide here.

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