Silence Speaks: The Prayer I Didn't See Coming

Silence Speaks

Learning to See Like Jesus

Post 1 in the Silent Prayers, Loud Lessons Series

The Prayer I Didn't See Coming

I didn’t plan to pray for shrewdness. It just came up—from somewhere deep inside. I paused and whispered, “Lord, give me the spirit of shrewdness.” Not the sharp-tongued kind that cuts, but the spiritual kind that discerns. The Jesus kind.

I thought it was a one-liner prayer. Turns out, it was an invitation.

A Shift I Could Feel but Not Touch

My daughter and I were in the car—laughing, running errands, doing life. When I asked her to call her father about helping with the grandchildren, something shifted. Her words didn’t change, but her presence did. From light to heavy. From open to… closed.

I saw it. I felt it. But I didn’t press or perform or pacify. I let the silence breathe. That moment wasn’t about fixing—it was about seeing.

Clapback Without a Word

Later, I stood toe-to-toe with another test: my husband’s layered expectations hidden inside “helpfulness.” A supposed trip to drop off my car became a scramble around his plans. I was pulled and spun—but not fooled.

The Spirit’s shrewdness nudged me: Don’t explain. Don’t explode. See it. Acknowledge it.

So I clapped. Literally. A sharp, intentional sound that said: I see the game. I just won’t play.

Not Harder—Clearer

For years, I internalized confusion. Smoothed over discomfort. Let others script my responses. But today, clarity rose in me like a steady tide. The shrewdness I prayed for showed up as sacred silence, firm boundaries, and a freedom-filled detour to the mall.

I didn’t lose my mind. I found my voice—in the quiet.

Reflect & Respond

Are there people in your life who shift the atmosphere with unspoken expectations? Have you ever felt the Spirit inviting you to see deeper instead of respond faster? What might it look like for you to “clap” without confrontation?

This week, try praying for the spirit of shrewdness—not to defend yourself, but to define what peace looks like for you.