It's Not About Us: A reflection of decentralizing prayer. (Phenomenology of Prayer 1)

  Merold Westphal talks in his essay within Phenomenology of Prayer about how modern Christians have such a hard time praising God in prayer because it isn't about us.  It is a call for Christians to think less about themselves in prayer and instead fix our eyes upon the Lord.  The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, says "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."(Galatians 2:20).  If one were to look at prayer through that lens that Paul provides it would be far easier to praise him acknowledging that they, as they are, are being crucified as Christ increases while they decrease.  This assurance that Christ is increasing as we are decreasing (John 3: 30) is very beneficial in one's prayer life being more prone to simply praise God for who he is as opposed for what he has done for us.

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