Practice of Prayer Part 4 - Being with God - Nov 23rd 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Beholding the Glory of God Transforms Us

To behold the glory of God is to gaze upon His beauty and presence with unveiled faces, a privilege made possible through Christ. Unlike the fleeting glory experienced by Moses under the old covenant, we now have unrestricted access to God’s transforming presence, which changes us from glory to glory. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, the image of the invisible God, we are not only drawn into deeper relationship but are also gradually shaped into His likeness. This beholding is not passive; it is an active, ongoing encounter that brings about real transformation in our lives, making us radiant with His love and character. [07:59]

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (New Living Translation)
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Reflection: What are you allowing yourself to gaze upon most often, and how might intentionally turning your eyes to Jesus each day begin to transform your heart and actions?

Day 2: Yielding—Surrendering Our Will to God

Yielding in prayer is not resignation but an active surrender of our desires, plans, and understanding to God’s will. Just as Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, “Not my will, but yours be done,” we are invited to trust God fully, even when circumstances are difficult or beyond our control. Yielding means giving way, letting God direct our paths, and offering our lives as living sacrifices. This surrender is a daily act of trust, acknowledging that God’s wisdom and love are greater than our own, and allowing Him to shape our journey. [13:48]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New Living Translation)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Reflection: Is there a specific area of your life where you are struggling to let go of control? What would it look like to pray, “Not my will, but yours be done,” in that area today?

Day 3: Resting in God’s Presence

Resting in God is not a passive act but a deep, active trust in His love, grace, and provision. True rest comes when we surrender our striving and performance, choosing instead to abide in Christ and allow His peace to fill us. In times of uncertainty, pain, or even terminal illness, this rest is not resignation but a joyful giving up of control, knowing that God holds all things. As we rest in Him, we find hope, strength, and completeness—not from the world, but from Christ who is making us whole. [20:12]

Hebrews 4:9-10 (New Living Translation)
So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.

Reflection: When was the last time you truly rested in God’s presence without an agenda? How can you set aside time this week to simply be with Him and receive His peace?

Day 4: Overcoming Distraction, Hurry, and Fear in Prayer

Distraction, hurry, and fear are common challenges that can keep us from experiencing the fullness of God’s presence. Our minds may wander, the world urges us to be productive, and silence can bring up uncomfortable emotions. Yet, God invites us to return to Him again and again, to quiet our souls like a content child, and to resist the urge to fill every moment with noise or activity. In the stillness, God does deep healing work, bringing to the surface what needs His touch and transforming our pain into peace. [29:54]

Psalm 131:1-2 (New Living Translation)
Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Reflection: What distractions or fears tend to surface when you try to be still with God? How might you gently bring these to Him today, trusting Him to meet you in the quiet?

Day 5: We Become Like What We Gaze Upon

What we consistently behold shapes who we become. If we fix our attention on the world’s anxieties, anger, or trivialities, we are formed by them. But when we turn our eyes to Jesus and contemplate His love and glory, we are made more loving, radiant, and beautiful in His likeness. God invites us to look to Him, to run to Him in every circumstance, and to allow His presence to fill us with wholeness and healing. As we bless God and seek His face, we discover that those who look to Him are radiant and never put to shame. [36:51]

Psalm 34:4-7 (The Message)
God met me more than halfway, he freed me from my anxious fears. Look at him; give him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him. When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot. God’s angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray.

Reflection: What is one practical way you can “turn your eyes upon Jesus” today, especially when you feel anxious or overwhelmed, so that His love and radiance can shape your response?

Sermon Summary

This morning, we explored the profound invitation to simply be with God—not just talking to Him, not just listening, but dwelling in His presence. I began by sharing a story from my own marriage, reflecting on how, after many years, the depth of a relationship is often measured by the comfort found in silence together. In the same way, our relationship with God matures as we learn to rest in His presence, even without words.

We considered the biblical idea of “beholding” God, as described in 2 Corinthians 3. Unlike Moses, who could only glimpse God’s glory through a veil, we now have direct, unveiled access to God’s presence through Christ. This beholding is not passive; as we gaze upon the Lord, we are transformed from glory to glory. The glory we encounter in God is unlike any earthly glory—far surpassing the fleeting applause of the world.

This contemplative, or “beholding,” prayer has three dimensions: looking, yielding, and resting. Looking is the act of fixing our gaze on Jesus, the image of the invisible God. Yielding is the surrender of our own will, echoing Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane: “Not my will, but yours be done.” Resting is the active trust that God is at work, even when we are still. True rest is not resignation, but a confident surrender to God’s love and sovereignty.

Yet, this way of prayer is not without its challenges. Distraction is inevitable; our minds wander, but we are called to gently return our focus to God. Hurry is another enemy, as our culture prizes productivity and noise, but God invites us to slow down and abide. The most difficult challenge is fear—fear of what might surface in the silence. In the quiet, our pain, anxieties, and unresolved wounds can rise up. But it is precisely in God’s healing presence that these can be named and surrendered for transformation.

Ultimately, we become like what we behold. If we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are changed into His likeness. The invitation is to turn away from the distractions and false glories of the world, and to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. In doing so, we find rest, healing, and the fullness of life that only God can give.

Key Takeaways

1. Beholding God transforms us deeply As we fix our gaze on the unveiled glory of God, we are changed from the inside out. This transformation is not the result of striving, but of simply being in God’s presence. The more we behold Him, the more we reflect His character and beauty to the world. [05:30]
2. Yielding is an active surrender Yielding in prayer is not passive resignation, but a deliberate act of trust. Like Jesus in Gethsemane, we move from asking God to change our circumstances to surrendering our will to His. This surrender is the foundation of true spiritual maturity and peace. [13:04]
3. Resting in God is powerful, not passive Rest is not the absence of activity, but the presence of trust. When we rest in God, we declare a ceasefire with the world’s demands for performance and productivity. In this rest, we find strength, healing, and the assurance that God is completing His work in us. [19:31]
4. Silence reveals what needs healing In the quiet, our hidden fears, wounds, and anxieties often surface. Rather than running from these, we are invited to bring them into God’s healing presence. This is where the deepest transformation happens, as God meets us in our vulnerability and brings wholeness. [30:32]
5. We become what we contemplate Whatever we consistently fix our attention on shapes us. If we gaze at the world’s anxieties or distractions, we become anxious and distracted. But if we behold the love and glory of Christ, we are made radiant and loving, reflecting His beauty to those around us. [36:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - A Story of Relationship and Silence
[02:58] - The Depth of Being With God
[03:33] - What Is Contemplative Prayer?
[04:51] - Beholding the Glory of the Lord
[07:59] - Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
[09:51] - The New Covenant: Unveiled and Increasing Glory
[11:08] - Yielding: Surrendering Our Will
[14:26] - Resting: Trusting in God’s Presence
[17:38] - Active Prayer That Leads to Rest
[21:21] - Abiding and the Better Way
[21:56] - Challenges: Distraction, Hurry, and Fear
[24:24] - The Challenge of Hurry
[28:06] - The Challenge of Fear and Silence
[31:50] - God’s Healing Presence in Our Pain
[35:38] - What Are We Gazing At?
[37:31] - Psalm 34: Looking to God
[40:04] - Responding in Worship and Commitment

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Beholding God: Resting, Yielding, and Being Transformed"**

---

### Bible Reading

**2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (ESV)**
> But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

**Psalm 34:4-8 (ESV)**
> I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

---

### Observation Questions

In 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, what changes for us when the veil is removed, and what does it mean to "behold the glory of the Lord"? ([04:51])
According to Psalm 34, what happens to those who "look to" or "seek" the Lord? ([37:31])
The sermon described three dimensions of contemplative prayer: looking, yielding, and resting. What does each of these look like in practice? ([04:12])
What are the three main challenges to this kind of prayer that the sermon mentioned? ([04:12])

---

### Interpretation Questions

The sermon says, "We become like what we behold." What does this mean in the context of 2 Corinthians 3:18, and how might this shape a person's character over time? ([36:16])
Why is yielding in prayer described as an "active surrender" rather than just giving up? How does Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane illustrate this? ([13:04])
The sermon talks about rest in God as "powerful, not passive." How is resting in God different from simply doing nothing or giving up? ([19:31])
The message suggests that silence can bring up fears, wounds, and anxieties. Why might God allow these things to surface in times of quiet prayer? ([30:32])

---

### Application Questions

The sermon compared deep relationships to being comfortable in silence together. Are you comfortable being silent with God, or do you find it awkward? What might help you grow in this area? ([02:58])
Distraction, hurry, and fear were named as challenges to contemplative prayer. Which of these is the biggest obstacle for you personally, and what is one step you could take to address it this week? ([21:56])
The idea of "yielding" means letting go of your own will and trusting God. Is there a situation in your life right now where you sense God asking you to yield? What would it look like to pray, "Not my will, but yours be done"? ([13:04])
Resting in God means trusting that He is at work even when you are still. When was the last time you truly rested in God's presence without trying to fix or achieve anything? How did it feel? ([19:31])
The sermon said that in silence, our hidden fears and wounds can surface. Have you ever experienced this? If so, how did you respond, and what might it look like to bring those things to God for healing? ([30:32])
The message challenged us to consider what we are "gazing at" in our daily lives. What are some things you tend to focus on that might be shaping you in unhelpful ways? How can you intentionally turn your attention to Jesus this week? ([36:16])
Psalm 34 says, "Those who look to him are radiant." What would it look like for you to reflect God's radiance to others in your family, workplace, or community this week? ([37:31])

---

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What does beholding God's glory involve?

How can silence deepen spiritual connection with God?

What are common obstacles to contemplative prayer?

Practice of Prayer Part 4 - Being with God - Nov 23rd 2025 - Gareth Brown