Mystical Thought for the Month
February 10, 2012
Finally, Springtime right in the middle of Winter! Yea-a-a-a!! Naw, don’t get too excited. It can’t last forever, right? Let’s just enjoy while we can.
One of my most frequent topics of discussion with clients is the topic of prayer. You see, many of the dilemmas which they face have no magical solution. In some cases, they don’t even have a practical solution. Their only option is prayer.
Think for a minute about some insurmountable problem that you have faced. Your first step may have been an attempt to wish it away; “Boy, I wish I didn’t have to deal with this.” Your next step may have been an attempt to figure it out. “Where the heck am I going to get 1.6 million dollars by Friday?” When you find out that your wish was not granted, and that no one will offer to help you with the money, the next step is usually “Ahem, uh, God? I know we haven’t talked in a while, but you see, I’ve got this problem here. . . . . . . ” Don’t feel bad, you’re in elite company. This is the way that most people handle their problems, and yes, there was a time when I was as guilty of it as anyone at it. So, let’s forget the magic and the hope that someone will come along and bail you out. Let’s step right to the prayer stage. Why do we pray? What is involved in prayer? What kind of surroundings should you have? What state of mind? And, when should you pray? Most importantly, we pray because by the time we get to praying, we have done our homework and truly understand that we have a problem that we can’t solve. Also, due to this situation, we need a miracle. Last time I checked, I don’t remember anyone in the last 2,000 years who is credited with performing true miracles on the planet. On the same level, our past is filled with reports of miracles which were granted by God and His angels. In short, it’s all we’ve got! Next, let’s go to logic school. If you were going to ask your boss for a raise, would you do it in grubby clothes, with an unshaven beard, scraggly hair, and mismatched socks? I don’t think so. You would be spit and polish. You may even do some wonderful task a day or so before asking. Why would you do that? The reason is simple. Your boss is a person who has the ability to grant or deny. This is a person who expects you to respect him. This is a person who may have a lasting impression of you that you wish to change. In short, when it comes to your paycheck, this person is god. A few years ago we had a wonderful lecture by Fr. Jay Simonie, at Mystiques. He presented an image of God that few people ever see. How wonderful it was–and is! Certainly, God would deny or grant you an answer to your prayer based on whether or not your hygiene was up to date, nor would we expect that granting a favorable response to a prayer would be based on your current level of spiritual development. God doesn’t work that way. In short, from God’s point of view, nothing about you will affect the decision which is made about your prayer. But, what about your attitude? You must remember that you are not entitled to anything while here on the earthplane. That’s right! Absolutely nothing. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have anything you want. It simply means that God, or anyone else, doesn’t OWE you a thing. Fact is, you may have actually chosen the hardship which you face before you came into the physical world. Also, some people feel that they DESERVE this or that. That because they have a high impression of themselves that they should not have to suffer or work as hard as everyone else. No one deserves anything. No, it doesn’t matter how rough your life is, you don’t deserve a better life. God has given you the opportunity and ability to EARN a better life, but you don’t deserve one simply because of who you are. All of this is a preamble to the fact that when it is all said and done, relative to God, the physical you is insignificant. That doesn’t mean that you’re not important, or that God is not within you, it simply means that when you approach God, you should do so with an attitude of deep humility. Let’s just say that it is Saturday afternoon, and your boss calls you at home to discuss a raise. You’re watching the game on a blaring TV, while partying with friends and enjoying a couple of brewskies. Instead of stepping into another room, where it may be quieter and more private, you stay in front of the tube, and maybe even call out at some point, “Charlie–hey Charlie, get we another beer will ya?” If the boss was undecided as to how much to give you for a raise, where do you think you might end up? Of course, you would never do that. You would either leave the room, or shush the group so you could talk. Conversation with God is no different. Your attitude about it can reflect how important it is to you. If you appear nonchalant or disinterested, your chance of having your prayer answered is somewhat diminished. Most people are seriously impatient. When we want something here on earth, we generally just go get it. Prayer is different. It’s like planting a field. When the farmer seeds his land, he’s not out there the next day with the combine, trying to harvest the crops. He knows it takes time and so does prayer. We pray on our time, but God answers on His time. You have got to give your prayers time to work. Lastly, sometimes you will have to utter your prayer more than once. When I was a Pentecostal, I first heard the statement, “pray through.” This means that you pray until God answers, one way or the other. Father Simonie had a wonderful story about his enlightenment. He prayed and meditated every day for 6 years before it was granted. How many of you would stick to your prayer regime that long? As he said, some pray even longer. I faced a situation that required deep prayer. I knew that it wasn’t a prayer that would be easily answered, so I asked God how long I would have to pray. I was guided to open the Bible. When I allowed my hand to guide me to a verse, I was directed to Matthew 18:22. In this verse, Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother–seven times? Jesus answers, no, seventy times seven. This told me that I would need to pray at least 490 times to get an answer. I’m not sure if it is 490 times, or 490 days, or 490 times a day, or 490 times a day for 490 days, but I do know that God is hearing my prayers and I do know that my prayers will be answered. If you have a dilemma that needs an answer to prayer, simply follow these rules. Find a comfortable, quiet place to sit or preferably, kneel. Clear you head of any distractions from the day, and then humbly and respectfully approach God with your request. You might begin as I often do–“Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for this day of life and for the opportunity that it brings. Thank you for your wondrous love and blessings. As you know Father, I have been facing. . . . . . . .” Ego is gone. Pride is gone. Arrogance is gone. Remember, you are asking for assistance, not a free ride. You have to be willing to do your part. Finally, you wouldn’t think of asking the boss for a raise if you had missed several days of work. Go to work. Talk to God and His angels daily. If you don’t need something, then give thanks for the wonderful things that you do have. Most important, be prepared to pray through. Sometimes these things take a while Have a great February!