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Raised in a religious household, the fact that I turned out be the least religious person in my immediate family is ironic. I’m not anti-religion; I’m just more so focused on the spiritual and personal aspect of my faith and how those things manifest into my lifestyle choices. Even without being a Bible-reading, churchgoing, speaking in tongues person at this juncture in my life, there are some things that have become a norm in my life and one of those things is prayer. I do pray, but I started to think about the times I do and analyzed what exactly it is I have been praying for and seeking.
I realized that prayer to me was a 9-1-1 call only in the time of crisis in my life. It’s funny how crisis quickly changes our perspective on things. All of a sudden we’re bargaining and making empty promises: if our prayers are answered we will be better, or we will change and do life differently only to be disappointed when we don’t get the answers or results we prayed for. Missing the point of prayer as a way for us to stay connected to a higher power, we become angry and often question if the supernatural is real or a load of hogwash that we’ve been fed. Some question whether prayer works. However, before we get mad at God or whoever we pray to for not answering our petitions or hearing what we want, we have to stop and think about whether or not what we have been asking for is realistic.
For the sake of the argument, if you are praying and asking for a financial increase in your life, think about the things that you are doing to make that possible. Better yet, think about the things that you are doing to prevent that from happening. If you’re putting in extra hours at work and applied for that management position that could put you on the right track, I’m a firm believer that the universe will work in your favor. But don’t expect a million bucks just to fall out of the sky. If you’re spending like crazy, don’t be disappointed when you don’t get that financial increase. Instead, pray for opportunities to get what you want. If you find yourself lonely, single and praying for a companion, think about whether all the things you are asking for are present in your own life. And are you intentionally dating or just hoping someone will walk onto your doorstep?
The key to powerful prayer lies in being intentional. First, we need to be specific about what we are asking for and make our wants well-defined. Be genuine and authentic and think about whether what you’re praying for is something you really need. Praying for a dying loved one may be our way of coping with the fact that we’re losing someone close to us. It is often the prayers to help them that leave us angry when we don’t get the response we want. Instead, pray for your loved one and for peace and comfort during this time. I had to learn to stop praying for things that I wanted, but for opportunities to get the things I needed. A good way to keep track of what we are seeking is by keeping a journal. This allows us to go back and have a visual of what we asked for and the work we put in on our own to get it. It also helps us to stay consistent and focused.
I was always told that there are three answers you get in return: a “yes” that always comes in the form of an opportunity or an opened door; a “no” because you’re simply not ready to wholeheartedly receive what you’re asking for, or a “no” because there is an even better opportunity awaiting you. So does prayer work? Yes, when we are intentional and realistic about the things that we ask for. Prayer is not some abracadabra wave of a wand, and there you have it spell. It’s about being excited and faithful to the promises that have been placed over your life and staying in touch with that.
