Jesus once told his followers to not use "vain repetitions" when they pray and insinuated that people who pray this way are trying more to impress peope than communicate with God.
It has been said that prayer is not just a moment of speaking; rather, prayer is really a way of life. Prayer is living one's life as an inquiry of, response to, and communication with God. If this is true, then "vain repetitions" happen more than just in "prayer moments". In fact, I think they are the order of the day for too many people of faith.
Vain repetitions are the things that never bring desired results, but we keep doing over and over again as expressions of our deepest desires for transformation and true life. These repetitions seldom reap any benefits, but we've been told that they are necessary and are the singular means by which we can access the blessings of God, so we keep doing them over and over again!
You may ask, "what are the vain repetitions of which you speak?" I will not answer that question. The key here for you is to search your heart and your life. Identify those things that you keep doing, saying, and believing in hope that they'll bring about change. Now, If God specifically commanded you to do these things, by all means, keep doing them. However, if you are doing these things because that's what the religious establishment has ordered, or if you are doing them because that's what other reigious people you've know have done, or worst, if you are doing them because you fear that if you stop your life will be worse off, then, by all means, do something else. Break the mold. Turn to God. Seek His face, and trust Him that He really will give you truth, hope, and life.
Jesus counseled us to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking in trust that the God to whom we run for hope will not give us stones when we have begged for bread!
Count this as my clarion call to you to break the cycle of endless, meaningless activity. Seek God for the "one thing" that can do for you what a thousand years of "vain repetitions" never can.
Trust God, for real! Choose life!
