UL #373: Let God Bring in the Tide

Prayer doesn’t always move in one direction. Sometimes it feels rich and alive; other times, quiet and dry. But what if those ebbs and flows aren’t signs of failure, but signs of growth?

In this episode, Alan Fadling reflects on how prayer matures—not in a straight line, but like the slow, rising tide. Drawing on insights from Leonard Boase’s 1962 classic The Prayer of Faith and the seaside story of pastor and theologian Lee Whiston, Alan explores what it means to stop trying to “bring in the tide” ourselves and instead cooperate with God’s steady work of grace.

You’ll discover why the early sweetness of prayer often gives way to quieter forms of presence, and how grace deepens precisely in those quieter seasons.

In This Episode

• Why prayer matures through both consolation and desolation
• How the tide image helps us trust God’s slow work
• What Lee Whiston’s experience reveals about surrender and grace
• How emotional intensity yields to simple awareness of God

You’ll Gain

• Encouragement when prayer feels quiet or dry
• A renewed trust in grace’s unhurried rhythm
• Practical insight for cooperating with, not managing, God’s presence

Resources Mentioned

• The Prayer of Faith by Leonard Boase
• An Unhurried Life and An Unhurried Leader by Alan Fadling