The Pursuit of God

Resources for Application

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of contemplative prayer. For those determined to engage in it despite these challenges, the following four steps provide a way to begin. They are adapted from a model proposed by J. P. Moreland. Moreland practices contemplative prayer for an hour each morning and evening. Like Tozer, his life has been transformed by it. This simple model can be summarized as stop, settle, speak, surrender. It is a resource to experiment with as you begin your own practice of contemplative prayer. Practicing Contemplative Prayer Step 1: Stop. Find a still, safe spot (Ps 46:10). Often our minds and hearts are going so fast we feel like we cannot stop. When we do stop, we can recognize that we are the ones being sought—God is the seeker, and we respond (John 15:16). Choose a place where you can form a habit of contemplative prayer. It should be still, safe, and the same to minimize distractions and help you engage with God’s presence. Set a timer so that you do not have to worry about time. Start with ten or fifteen minutes, adding time as you desire. In silence, focus your attention on God. Recall his gifts with gratitude. Should distracting thoughts arise, write them down to return to later and refocus. Tozer advises, “It is best that we get alone, preferably with our Bible outspread before us. Then if we will we may draw near to God and begin to hear him speak to us in our hearts.” 15

15 Page 92. On hearing from God, Tozer also said, “The voice of God is a friendly voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it” [page 91]. For more on hearing God’s voice, see Dallas Willard, Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God , 4th ed. (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2012).