I write about this as a pilgrim, not an expert. I ask myself the same questions that concern most people. Is God listening? Why would he be interested in me? If he knows all things, what is the use of praying? Why do answers to prayer seem so inconsistent, even capricious? Does a person suffering from cancer and benefiting from the prayers of many friends have a better chance of healing than another suffering from the same illness but for whom few people intercede? Why does God sometimes seem so close and sometimes so far away? Does prayer bring about changes in God or in me?
I have not attempted to write a guide that covers topics like fasting, prayer retreats, and spiritual guidance. I approach the subject of prayer like a pilgrim wandering around, looking at the monuments, asking questions, turning things over in his head, getting a sense of the situation. I admit that I have sometimes allowed myself to fall out of balance, an overreaction to times spent among Christians who over-promised and under-thought. Therefore, I probably erred on the side of honesty rather than pretension.
If prayer constitutes the point of meeting with God, then I must learn to know it. Most of my Christian struggles revolve around the following two themes: why doesn't God act the way we want and why don't I act the way God wants. Prayer is the precise point where these themes converge.
Philip Yancey is a journalist, author and speaker. He wrote around twenty works, twelve of which were rewarded (This Jesus that I did not know, Touched by grace, Disappointed by God). He lives with his wife near Denver, Colorado.
ISBN: 9782863143599