Prayer
I had a wonderful conversation with a friend the other day about prayer. I began telling her that I don't know how to pray for some things. What exactly do I ask for? What is right? I was speaking about Amber at the time. Do I pray for a miracle? Do I pray for her to not feel pain? What is my correct prayer. She sent me this in my email. It is written by a mother who lost her beautiful baby to this atrocious disease:
I think part of my struggle right now is just understanding God's role in our lives. It is not that I doubt his existence, but that I am troubled in knowing how to pray on a going forward basis. I prayed so hard, so diligently and so fervently, for Lydia's healing, and I know many, many more people did as well, that it is hard to understand the role of prayer in our lives. I often wonder why we bother to ask for specific things or results, when it seems that it is out of our hands, and that every prayer we ask for, even when it is to spare someone from death, might not be answered as we have so fervently asked. I think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and what her prayers must have been as she watched him suffer and die. As a mother, I know she must have prayed and begged for his life...yet, even Mary's prayer was not answered as she might have wished.
Perhaps the role of prayer is not for God to grant a prayer just as we might wish, for He knows better than we do why something we might ask for might not be in our best interests. If God had granted Mary's prayer, and spared Jesus' earthly life, then for the sake of granting one prayer, none of us could enjoy eternal life. God knows our heart, even when we don't ask, but perhaps it is good for God to hear us ask, for us to affirm our heart before Him, and perhaps our final prayer for anything should be for God to be present in all situations, for that presence to be felt, and for wisdom, peace and acceptance of His will. I am praying for that wisdom, peace and acceptance for myself, and for all around me grieving the loss of a loved one. - In peace.
I think part of my struggle right now is just understanding God's role in our lives. It is not that I doubt his existence, but that I am troubled in knowing how to pray on a going forward basis. I prayed so hard, so diligently and so fervently, for Lydia's healing, and I know many, many more people did as well, that it is hard to understand the role of prayer in our lives. I often wonder why we bother to ask for specific things or results, when it seems that it is out of our hands, and that every prayer we ask for, even when it is to spare someone from death, might not be answered as we have so fervently asked. I think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and what her prayers must have been as she watched him suffer and die. As a mother, I know she must have prayed and begged for his life...yet, even Mary's prayer was not answered as she might have wished.
Perhaps the role of prayer is not for God to grant a prayer just as we might wish, for He knows better than we do why something we might ask for might not be in our best interests. If God had granted Mary's prayer, and spared Jesus' earthly life, then for the sake of granting one prayer, none of us could enjoy eternal life. God knows our heart, even when we don't ask, but perhaps it is good for God to hear us ask, for us to affirm our heart before Him, and perhaps our final prayer for anything should be for God to be present in all situations, for that presence to be felt, and for wisdom, peace and acceptance of His will. I am praying for that wisdom, peace and acceptance for myself, and for all around me grieving the loss of a loved one. - In peace.
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Posted by
Marie |
May 27, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Pray for peace, strength, and understanding! God is in control, I know at times it doesn't seem like it and we may never understand His plan.
Posted by
Sherry |
May 27, 2009 at 6:41 PM
thanks for this, Cassie. love, Cassie Romsa
Posted by
Anonymous |
June 3, 2009 at 5:26 AM
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