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8 Lutheran Life What happens when it seems like you have spotty cell phone service and can't quite hear what God is saying? Even knowing that God is ready to engage with you in prayer doesn't always mean hearing God is easy. Some- times it seems like God is completely silent. Yet even in the apparent silence, God is working, crafting, and molding us for His purposes. 7 When it feels like I can't hear God in prayer, I turn to where I know He can be found: in His Word. One of my favorite ways to pray is by declaring God's prom- ises back to the promise keeper Himself. I know these words are true because they have been given to me in the Word of life. In praying God's Word back to God, I'm hearing His truths for my life and aligning myself with His will—reminding myself (as much as I pretend that I'm reminding God) of who God is and what He promis- es to do in my life. By the way, I didn't come up with this form of prayer on my own. We see God's people reminding themselves of God's promises and faithful character throughout the biblical narrative, especially in the Psalms. Take Psalm 27, for example. David reminds himself of who His Savior is as he works through some very real fear and anxiety. He declares, "The LORD is my light and my sal- vation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" By declaring who God is, he can begin to work through what that means for his life. Because the Lord is his light and salvation, 7 See Romans 8:28. 8 Psalm 27:1. 9 Psalm 27:8–9a. 10 See Deuteronomy 4:29, Proverbs 8:17, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7, and Acts 17:27. David doesn't need to be afraid of any opposing foe. It seems like David also knew what it was like to not always hear God. Later in the psalm, he also says, "You have said, 'Seek My face.' My heart says to You, 'Your face, LORD, do I seek.' Hide not Your face from me." 9 David holds God to His promises, almost as if he's remind- ing God of what He's promised. When we seek the Lord, He will be found. 10 And He is. The same is true for your life of faith. As we repeat God's promises and let them sink in, God's living word begins to reshape thoughts and change hearts. As we center ourselves around the truths of Scripture, the Holy Spirit invites us to receive life-giving words of hope, peace, and joy. I invite you to join God's conversation by praying Scripture. Consider choosing just one passage and repeating it, both to yourself and out loud. Let the words of God give voice to your spirit as you receive God's rich blessings for you in prayer. w PRAYING GOD'S PROMISES BACK TO GOD

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