Meeting God in the Story: Practicing Imaginative Prayer

Prayer Can Look Different Than You Think

When we think of prayer, we often picture passionate words spoken to God, moments of stillness, or heartfelt requests. But prayer can also be an invitation to step inside Scripture and meet God in the story.

Imaginative Prayer Helps You Enter the Story

Imaginative prayer is a way of engaging Scripture with our whole selves. Instead of reading the Bible as distant observers, we become participants in the scene. We picture the setting, hear the sounds, feel the emotions, and allow ourselves to be drawn into what God is doing. It’s not about pretending or “making something up.” It’s about opening our hearts to experience God’s Word in a personal and embodied way.

Sometimes, God Meets Us in the Details We Didn’t Expect

Jesus often taught through parables, painting pictures that helped people not just understand truth but feel it. When we pray imaginatively, we’re doing something similar. We’re letting Scripture come alive not just in our minds, but in our spirits.

Imagine being on the boat when Jesus calms the storm. The wind is fierce, the water is rising, and your heart is racing. Then, in the middle of the chaos, Jesus speaks: “Peace. Be still.” And everything changes.

This Practice Lets the Story Come Alive in a Personal Way

This way of praying honors how God designed us. Our brains naturally respond to vivid stories. We feel what we imagine. We remember what we experience. And in imaginative prayer, the Spirit often meets us in deeply personal ways, stirring healing, clarity, and connection that we may not find through words alone.

You don’t need to be a visual thinker or a seasoned Bible reader to begin. Imaginative prayer is for anyone willing to slow down, listen, and open their heart to God through the story.

If You’re Looking for a Place to Start, This Could Be It

We’re offering a guided imaginative prayer based on the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000—a chance not just to hear the story, but to enter it. As you follow along with the video below, notice where you are in the crowd, how you feel, and how Jesus meets you there. Let the story unfold gently, and come with an open heart, allowing space for God to speak.

This is the gift of imaginative prayer: not just reading Scripture, but encountering the Living Word, Jesus Himself.