Prayer...Thoughts....

Every once in awhile I have a thought that actually makes sense!  This happens to be on of those days!

I believe in prayer. I pray every day. Sometimes all day. Depending on the situation I have been known to pray every minute.

This leads me to my next question. Why do you pray? Is it because you want or need something? Or because you want or need something for someone else? Is that the only time you pray? I used to be like this. I finally realized that God must have felt as though I was "using" him. I only came to him with my needs and wants. Kind of like you walk into someone's house and you only tell them what you want. You get what you need then you leave. Would you keep that friend around?

Do you get the answers you want when you pray? Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. I have never met a single person who can say that every prayer they prayed has always been answered exactly as they requested. But you know what, I have also met and experienced God's will in my life through prayer. Think about it like this: Have you ever asked God for something and it turns out even better than you had ever "hoped" for. And have you ever asked God for something and you couldn't get further from the outcome you desired? That doesn't necessarily mean God didn't answer your prayer. He is your heavenly father and as such he wants what it is best for you. And we all know that children don't always know what is "best" for them. Have you ever heard the song "Unanswered Prayer" by Garth Brooks. I couldn't have said it better Mr. Brooks.

What is prayer? According to wikipedia it is: "the act of attempting to communicate with a deity or spirit." For me prayer is a way to have a daily relationship with God. He is my father. He wants to have a relationship with me. The great thing is? He loves us unconditionally. We don't have to prove ourselves to gain his love. We have to accept him. We have to ask him to come into our lives. Have you ever had a friendship like that?

What is the purpose of prayer? Again, quoting Wikipedia: "Worshipping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins, as an act of reparation or to express one's thoughts and emotions." I agree with this but I also believe as I said above, that prayer is also important because it helps us to develop our relationship with God. Like any relationship you have to cultivate. You talk, you laugh, you cry, you tell everything to your friend. God wants to be that friend.

Are there different ways of praying? Wikipedia says "The words of the prayer may take the form of intercession, a hymn, incantation or a spontaneous utterance in the person's praying words." i agree with this statement too. Have you ever been in church singing a hymnal and all of the sudden you feel like you and God are the only ones there? I have and it is an incredible feeling!

Do you know what I really like about prayer? You can pray anywhere and even pray when you can't find the words. I have been in that situation many times when battling with RSD flares ups and other situations in my life. Sometimes we can't even tell God what we are feeling. That's ok. He knows. He created us. He loves us. And he knows our hearts. And most importantly, he knows and wants what is best for us!