Primebaze.com.ng We all pray, irregardless of our
various faiths, to a supreme
being to intercede in our daily
lives and effect change where
necessary. It’s an integral part of
our religion to talk to our God on
a frequent basis – asking for help
is of paramount importance.
We might pray for a change in
our financial situations, a new
relationship or an improvement
in our general lifestyles. We do
this because we believe that our
prayers will be heard and there
will be a miraculous change in
our circumstances.
And what about when our
prayers are not answered?
As the mere humans that we are
we become despondent and cart
ourselves off to religious
organisations or places such as
churches and mosques to pray.
We believe, being in these places
surrounded by other people
praying with a man of god at the
head of the congregation, our
prayers will be answered or we
get our pastors to pray for us on
our behalf. We might often
accompany this with fasting and
abstinence, depending on the
complexity of our request.
And when our prayers are still
not answered we wonder why.
In Mathew 7:7 it says ‘ask , and it
shall be given you; seek and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you’, so why do our
prayers go unanswered? Is God
really that busy he’s not
listening?
In the 2007 film ‘Evan Almighty’
starring Morgan Freeman there’s
a scene, one of the most
memorable, that describes how
God answers our prayers (- it’s
on YouTube under the title ‘pray
for the opportunity’)
Without infringing upon the films
copyright here’s a transcript of
that scene:
JOAN – But my husband says God
told him to do it…what do you do
with
that…
Al MIGHTY (GOD) -..sounds like an
opportunity…let me ask you
something if someone prays for
patience, do you think God gives
them patience or does he give
them the opportunity to be
patient? If you prayed for
courage does God give them
courage or the opportunity to be
courageous? If someone prayed
for the family to be closer do you
think God zaps them with warm
fuzzy feelings or does he give
them the opportunity to love
each other ?
This just goes to confirm the
saying, ‘Man proposes but God
disposes’
Unfortunately all our prayers
seem to centre on ‘I want, I
want’. Very rarely do we give
thanks for the everyday blessings
we receive and take for granted.
And selfishly, like a pack of kids
let loose in a toy or sweet shop,
we want, want, want…..
This is where God steps in; like
any good parent will decide
what’s best for their children and
not the other way round he
decides what’s best for us at that
point in time – you can’t always
have what you want!
So when you go down on your
knees, clasping your hands
together to pray, the Lord God
already knows what’s best for
you or what you really need.
So when you pray for a new car
don’t be surprised when you’re
rewarded with good health for
that’s what probably what you
really need; or you pray to meet a
new partner and you’re given a
new understanding of yourself.
Likewise if you’re going through
a bad or tough time in life he
might decide it has to continue
so you can learn something
about yourself or your life.
Because you’re boke and need
money doesn’t mean God is
going to dump a pile of money in
your lap because you prayed for
it. No, he’ll give you the
opportunity to earn the money
by sorting out something else in
your life it could be promotion at
work, an old debt repaid or a
general overhaul of your
finances.
Always remember that the Big
Guy upstairs knows what you
really need – for he’s the
Supreme Being. You may
personally not know what you
want because us humans have
the tendency to be a selfish, ever-
wanting, ever-demanding race.
So next time you go down on
your knees to pray, before
reeling off your lists of wants,
why not start by saying:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who
trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
It’s a very simple prayer which
I’m sure we all know.
There are people, out there, who
seem to believe there is a specific
way to pray that will make God
listen to your request promptly.
I don’t think so.
Prayer is our intercession with
the Lord God and talking to him
requires us to acknowledge his
presence with our reverence and
sincerity: you don’t have to beat
drums and sing at the top of
your voices – he’s not deaf and
hears all prayers.
Keep your prayers simple and if
they are not answered
immediately don’t despair, it
might mean something.