So… What About the Power of Prayer?‏

So… What About the Power of Prayer?

Have you ever had the feeling that you were moving near the edge of desperation and said something like this, “God, am I ever going to find someone to love?” but past that, you never quite expected an answer?

Or have you been brought to your knees, and said fervently, “God, I’m serious this time. It really would be great if you would send me someone to love and who loves me,” and time dragged on, you’re still single and you never got the answer you wanted?

What’s happening here? There seems to be a disconnect. Something is missing.

What’s missing is a healthy mixture of faith and belief!

How many of you pray without believing and wonder why your prayers don’t get answered?

When your belief in the benefits of the prayer you pray, is stronger than your fear, equal to your courage, and has a healthy balance of faith and belief, the answer will come.

Dr. Ernest Holmes wrote: “Faith is a mental attitude which is so convinced of its own idea – which so completely accepts it that any contradiction is unthinkable and impossible.”

Oh, by the way… whatever answer comes may not necessarily look like the answer you thought was best for you, however it will be the answer that is in your best interest. That’s the way prayer works.

Prayer has most always been thought to be a religious practice – not necessarily a spiritual practice – so if you don’t subscribe to any religious deities, who or what can you pray to? There are many benefits to prayer, many have nothing to do with religion.

Would you agree a wish is just a hope or desire for something with no outside control and a prayer is a thought, desire, or question offered to a deity or higher power in hopes of that prayer being heard and answered by the deity or higher power? You may want to read that again.

Me too. So, think about this: “Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results, but first you have to believe.” ~ Mark Victor Hansen

Refusing to admit that it even might work, however, nixes it entirely. And, of course, there’s always “God (The Universe, your Higher Power, Guardian Angel, or whatever you call God) helps those who help themselves.”

Positive or negative, prayer or worry, this channeling of thoughts does work. And, as always, the choice is yours. You must believe!

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“Prayer slows our mind, calms our spirit, and centers our heart. It removes our mind from the culture of consumption that surrounds us and centers us on something greater and more important. It calls us to identify our desires and articulate our values.” ~ Joshua Becker

Prayer centers your heart and focuses attention on what is most important.

People who do not pray – people who do not believe in prayer – are convinced that they can do everything themselves. They surrender nothing. They have no faith. They worry that there will be no answer.

Worry is an enemy to faith. Hope in the human sense is not faith. It is wishful thinking, or wishful praying, or wishful asking. Never pretend you have faith when you really don’t believe it is going to happen. That is praying a lie. That, in fact, is a negative prayer which sometimes gets answered too.

“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.” ~ George Mueller

While praying, and after praying, believe that your request has been granted before you see the answer. Believing that prayer works seems to make it work even better. Believe!

“Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for…”

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” ~ St. Thomas Aquinas

Some say you must be willing to prevail for what you asked for, beg for it, agonize over it, then pray for the same thing over and over again. The length or volume or eloquence of our prayer is not the issue, it is the sincerity of our heart and the confidence we have that there will be an answer. Stop it! God heard you the first time!

I believe that every prayer is answered when absolute belief is present; one way or another and always for good and for your benefit. It might not be at the time you want, or the way you want it; but it will be answered. Another benefit of prayer? It teaches you patience while you wait for an answer. 😉

A prayer without belief that your prayer will be answered is incapable of producing any useful result. Next time, suspend your disbelief and say a prayer of thanksgiving. A grateful prayer begins the creation process. Let go of the “wanting” of it and focus on what it feels like to have what you desire. Remember that prayer is made powerful by the sincerity of it and the faith and belief that supports it.

That makes spiritual sense to me. And you?

BONUS Article: A Prayer of Thanksgiving

Copyright © 2014 – Larry James. This idea is adapted from Larry’s books, “How to Really Love the One You’re With: Affirmative Guidelines for a Healthy Love Relationship,” “LoveNotes for Lovers: Words That Make Music for Two Hearts Dancing” and “Red Hot LoveNotes for Lovers.” Larry James is a professional speaker, author, relationship coach and an award winning nondenominational Wedding Officiant. He performs the most “Romantic” wedding ceremony you will find anywhere. Something NEW about relationships is posted every 4th day on this Relationships BLOG.