“There is a whole sensible world around me that I should be able to turn to Your praise; but I cannot do it. Yet at some insipid moment when I may possibly be thinking of floor wax and pigeon eggs, the opening of a beautiful prayer may come up from my subconscious and lead me to write something exalted.”<\/p>\n
~ Flannery O’Connor, A Prayer Journal<\/a><\/p>\n Here Flannery gets at the essence of true praise. Worship isn’t something we schedule for say a Sabbath Day or early morning devotions. Praise happens in the routine of life. Flannery’s “whole sensible world” provides opportunities for praise if we would “be still” IN our activity.<\/p>\n The stillness in our activity is the channel through which God reveals Himself.<\/p>\n Not stopping whatever else it is I’m doing at the moment to make time for praise. Not waiting for the circumstances to get better so that I can praise. But stillness in<\/em> the storm, in<\/em> the hustle, in<\/em> the frenetic, in<\/em> the doubting, in<\/em> the death-watch, in<\/em> the grocery, in<\/em> the classroom, in<\/em> the study, in<\/em> the crisis.<\/p>\n Still.<\/p>\n And a whole sensible world begins to sing in such a way that we can’t not<\/em> turn it to His praise. So much so that even floor wax and pigeon eggs are promptings for praise.<\/p>\n RELATED:<\/strong><\/p>\n NPR:<\/strong> A Gem Found in Old Papers: Flannery O’Connor’s Prayer Journal “There is a whole sensible world around me that I should be able to turn to Your praise; but I cannot do it. Yet at some insipid moment when I may possibly be thinking of floor wax and pigeon eggs, … Continue reading
\n<\/a>NEW YORK TIMES:<\/strong> The Believer: Flannery O’Connor’s Prayer Journal<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"