Start from Where You Are

"Start from where you are." This simple directive, found in C.S. Lewis's book Letters to Malcolm, holds the power to transform your prayer life. In four basic words, it encapsulates a biblical vision of prayer that avoids two common pitfalls: worldly prayers and false spirituality. These pitfalls often stifle our thanksgiving and adoration of God and hinder our requests to Him, especially concerning earthly blessings and needs. Let's delve into these errors and see if they resonate with your experiences.

Worldly Prayers

The first error, which we'll call worldly prayers, involves praying in a manner no different from an unbeliever. Jesus addresses this issue twice in Matthew 6, contrasting the prayers of the Gentiles with those of His followers:

"When you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6:7–8)

"Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all." (Matthew 6:31–32)

Here, Jesus criticizes both the manner and aims of unbelieving prayers—repetitive phrases and an anxious pursuit of earthly provision. This warning implies that His followers can mistakenly mimic unbelievers by prioritizing material blessings and attempting to manipulate God into fulfilling their desires, treating Him like a butler rather than the sovereign Lord.

False Spirituality

In response to the danger of worldly prayers, some Christians swing to the opposite extreme, which we can call false spirituality. This involves a pious refusal to pray for earthly goods, focusing exclusively on spiritual blessings and communion with God. This mindset limits our prayers to spiritual matters alone, ignoring Jesus's teaching to pray for daily bread (Matthew 6:11) and the numerous Psalms where earthly needs and deliverances are sought and thanked for.

Balancing Spiritual and Earthly Prayers

To avoid these errors, we should offer spiritual prayers for earthly goods. Lewis's principle of "begin where you are" can guide us in this endeavor.

From Pleasure to Thanks

Lewis suggests starting with the concrete and present blessings around us to foster worship and adoration. Earthly blessings, even minor ones, are tangible and immediate, making them an excellent starting point for gratitude. For instance, a warm shower, a satisfying breakfast, or the laughter of your children are all concrete blessings that reflect God's kindness.

By directing our attention to these everyday mercies, we can recognize them as messages of God's generosity. Every pleasure can become a channel of adoration when we frame it as a gift from our gracious Lord. Thus, Lewis encourages us to give thanks for these blessings, specifying our gratitude in detail. "Thank you, Lord, for the smoothness of the table, the softness of my socks, the sweetness of the honey, the silliness of my son, and the wisdom and compassion of my wife."

From Thanks to Adoration

Once we've given thanks, we can follow this gratitude back to adoration. Recognizing that these earthly blessings are reflections of God's bounty, we can leap from gratitude to worship. "Such earthly blessings, O Lord, are simply the far-off echoes of your own goodness. These are but the fringes of your ways, and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

From our first breath in the morning to our last conscious thought at night, Lewis encourages us to receive and give thanks for God's earthly kindness, allowing this gratitude to elevate our worship and weave in the spiritual blessings of redemption, forgiveness, and sanctification.

The Higher and the Lower

"The higher does not stand without the lower," Lewis reminds us. We must learn to walk before we can run. In spiritual terms, this means developing a habit of adoring God in everyday moments before we can fully appreciate His grandeur on grander occasions. Everyday pleasures—patches of sunlight in a wood—reveal something about the sun that books on astronomy cannot. These simple joys are "patches of Godlight" in our experiences.

Daily Bread and Heavenly Bread

The same principle applies to our requests. While the Gentiles seek earthly goods, Jesus does not tell us to stop praying for such gifts. Instead, He instructs us to seek God's kingdom first and pray for our daily needs. This balanced approach is evident in the Lord's Prayer, where the request for daily bread is surrounded by petitions for God's name to be hallowed and His kingdom to come.

This framework helps us avoid the manipulative prayers that Jesus condemns. Rather than trying to trick God into fulfilling our desires through pious requests, we should bring our genuine needs and anxieties to Him directly. Our daily needs are real, and we are taught to ask for them honestly. By doing so, we allow God to moderate and refine our desires.

Prayers for Daily and Heavenly Bread

By beginning with our actual needs and anxieties, we can move beyond them, seeking God's kingdom as our highest good. Just as gratitude for earthly blessings can lead to adoration, prayers for daily bread can lead to prayers for heavenly bread, for the bread of life.

Your Heavenly Father

Central to all these prayers is the goodness of our heavenly Father. We don't need to use empty phrases because our Father knows our needs before we ask (Matthew 6:8). We don't need to anxiously pursue earthly goods because our Father knows we need them (Matthew 6:32).

Recognizing the goodness of beginning where we are and asking for daily bread is crucial. When we pray for specific provisions, we not only receive the blessings but also experience the kindness and care of our Father in heaven. By starting with our current needs, we connect with a God who knows our needs before we ask and loves to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11).

Conclusion

"Begin where you are" is a transformative principle for prayer, helping us avoid the pitfalls of worldly prayers and false spirituality. By starting with the tangible blessings and needs in our lives, we can foster gratitude and adoration, leading to deeper spiritual growth. As we bring our genuine needs to God, we invite His refining presence and experience His loving provision. In doing so, we align our hearts with His will and experience the fullness of His goodness and grace.