Prayer is a truly personal matter. One that I don’t approach lightly because of my respect for everyone who chooses not to believe in God or practice a particular religion.
But that doesn’t change the fact that there is tremendous value in prayer.
Genuine prayer.
Prayer, exercised with an open mind and an open heart.
If you pray on a regular basis, you understand that prayer, at its core, is nothing more than a casual intimate conversation with a friend. A somewhat informal exchange of thoughts and words. Often seemingly, very one sided.
Prayer is an opportunity to be grateful and hopeful, but also a chance to vent our frustration and frustration.
But prayer is not a petition even through it often resembles one.
When people mouth their words, they often sound like a half thought out grocery list or a lengthy political draft of demands that they demand right away or else.
“God, if you do this for me, I promise to erase all that porn, that is accidentally on purpose hiding somewhere on my computer”.
“God, if you get me through this, I swear I will never, ever, ever, drink so much again”.
“God, if you’re listening and if you love me. I hope you teach those sons of a motherless goat a lesson they’ll never forget!”
There is a reason why your prayers fall on deaf ears.
First, you maybe asking for something you shouldn’t have. You maybe asking for something that is either immoral or something that won’t bring you any joy or happiness. Sometimes the things we ask for, don’t really serve us well. They often become a weapon, instead of a tool.
Second, you might be asking for something you really should have, but you don’t really mean it.
You just mouth your petitions and sit back. You expect God to be your butler. You act like a spoiled, ungrateful child, and want God to fetch you dinner, get you some money, or birth the love of your life or create them out of sand, no matter, who will love you unconditionally, forever and ever, and ever.
If you dare to pray, then pray from the heart.
And if the things you want aren’t coming your way, remember that you also have to act.
You have to show that you believe they are coming.
Actions are stronger than words.
Faith without good works is nothing.
Tell me why God should send you the things you desire, if you ignore your divine heritage and refuse to be a co-creator?
You pray for the grace to lose a little weight, but yet you’ve made no plans to construct a sensible meal plan. You’ve made no effort to go and get the groceries for the week. You’ve made no effort to prepare, to organize, or to cook.
What you want.
What you really want, is for God to just burn the fat out of you.
Magically.
Effortlessly.
Perhaps while you sleep, like the Tooth Fairy used to, when she gave you money in exchange for your baby teeth.
But why? Whats the point?
In the end you’ll just binge on a box of chocolate chip cookies sometime next weekend, or the one after, and create an ass twice as big, by next Christmas.
You should rethink your ways.
Don’t rethink prayer. Rethink how you pray.
You should pray knowing everything is in God’s hands, but you should work as though everything depends on you.
You have to knock in order for the door to be opened.
You have to ask, beg, and plead, and only then will you receive.
You have to sweat and toil.
You have to fail and rise again.
I’m often puzzled by Christians.
Their Lord and Saviour died for them. He suffered a brutal death on a cross, yet they themselves, don’t want to work or struggle to make themselves or the world they live in a better place.
There is great power in prayer.
Genuine prayer.
It’s not a petition.
It’s not a list of terrorist demands.
It’s a conversation.
A conversation with a friend.
I hope you have the patience to discover how to pray.
I hope you no longer send thoughts and prayers to those that suffer.
I hope you pray.
I hope you act.
I hope you get to work on your dreams, and live like they are coming true.
