Opening Yourself to God
Progress in prayer and in the spiritual life in general can be
measured, in one sense, by a movement from active to passive --
from effort on your part (verbal prayer, service, what one does
for God) to allowing God to work with you. Another subtle shift is
reflected in how you view your relationship with God. This is
described beautifully in the Psalms : "My soul rests like a weaned
child at the mother's breast." A weaned child is not asking for
anything -- just resting in the love of the mother.

In our lives, this shift means that one moves ever so subtly from
a stance of obedience to authority, of wanting peace and protection,
desiring a star in one's crown, or heaven itself (that is, trying
to get something from God), to one of enjoying God, loving God with
all one's heart, soul, mind, strength. It is reflective of that
age-old theological dilemma, "Is spiritual growth our work for God
or God's work for us?" The answer to both questions is Yes!

--from the essay "Opening Yourself to the Guidance of God"
by Linda R. Douty

Read the essay in its entirety.