God is within us as well as without us: He is within us, built-into us, because we are His children.

(A mortal analogy would be that every child contains his parents’ DNA – thus, each of us contains ‘God’s DNA’.)

Perhaps this fact is neglected in our spiritual lives?

We pray, of course, as best we may – we give thanks, we ask for guidance, we petition. Also in prayer we seek confirmation and encouragement.

Sometimes, however, prayer ‘doesn’t work’ – or doesn’t feel as if it is working. Then, perhaps, might be a good time to remember God is also within us – and to look-within, meditatively, rather than looking ‘outwards’, as in prayer.

The method and result of this distinctively Christian meditation (a meditation done in knowledge of, and directed towards, our loving Heavenly Father within) provides another, qualitatively different, potentially valuable spiritual ‘exercise’ – along with a life of prayer.

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(Of course, we might consider meditation to be simply one variety of prayer itself – but perhaps it is helpful to regard meditation as inward-directed, in contrast to prayer as outward-directed; in order that if we are failing to do one of them properly, or have become fatigued, or seem not to be getting what we need – we might try again with the other.)