Counsel #3 — Begin With Prayer

Picture: Counsel #3 — Begin With PrayerCMH 85.1

Pray right at the beginning of your meditation time with God, asking Him to free you from distractions and prepare your heart to receive His messages.^{[87]https://www.adventist.org/does-it-matter-when-we-pray/} Remember it is through the Holy Spirit that we have access to God. Ask for His presence to clarify your mind and to remove sinful thoughts. Ask God to help you focus on Him and not on diversions such as your to-do list.CMH 85.2

“For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:18 NKJVCMH 85.3

“When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalms 46:10). Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng and the strain of life’s intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace.” Ellen White in That I May Know Him, p. 259 CMH 85.4

Reflect: What steps do you take to be still and wait before God, emptying your mind from distractions?CMH 85.5