By Rev. Doral Pulley, Today’s Church Tampa Bay
“And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me (Matthew 26:39).”
One of the biggest challengers to prayer is the ego. The ego is that part of you that does not want to heal, grow, or change. The ego is full of pride and is in opposition to the will of God. It feels that it knows better than God what you are to do. The ego is only interested in non-stop pleasure and instant gratification. The ego is a lower state of consciousness that can also result in you playing the victim and blaming other people or circumstances for your life.
There are two major acronyms for E.G.O. The first one is Edging God Out. Little by little, you become too busy to pray. You miss a day here and there, and before you know it, a week, then a month has gone by, and you have not prayed. Another acronym for ego is Erasing God Out. This phrase is a more drastic manifestation of ego where you consciously choose to stop making God the center of your life. As a result of hurt and anger, you replace God with yourself, someone, or something else.
Three prayer postures, bowing, kneeling, and lying prostrate can reduce the ego and communicate to God that you are ready to surrender. Bowing is for a mild case of the ego. Kneeling is for a moderate case of ego. Laying prostrate is for a major case of ego. In the Garden of Gethsamane, Jesus, our Wayshower, had an extreme experience with ego, which he brought in check by laying prostrate and praying for God’s will to triumph over his own. Jesus did not want to die. He desired to continue his life and ministry as it was. He reduced his ego by laying prostrate, falling on his face, and praying. In doing so, Jesus remembered that it was God’s plan and his Divine Purpose to die.
Evaluate your ego and consciously choose which prayer posture is necessary to reduce its power over you and return you to thoughts of God first. Combine your prayer posture with the Prayer Tool of Meditation, Mindfulness and Breathing as symbolized by the level to bring yourself back into alignment with God’s will and timing.
Rev. Doral Pulley is the senior pastor of Today’s Church Tampa Bay, 940 5th Ave. S, St. Petersburg (Staybridge Suites) and 5107 North Central Ave., Tampa.
