Why and How The Way You Pray May Not Work

*Please substitute, Universe, Higher Power, Buddha, or whatever YOU refer to when you pray.

My ever so wise spiritual Godmother, teacher, and astrologer, Blanche Colangeli, used to say, “Lorraine, there are no atheists in a foxhole.”  It made sense to me and got me thinking about, and studying prayer.

In Marianne Williamson’s book “A Return to Love” about surrendering in prayer.  She writes, “Where we have an attachment to results, we tend to have a hard time giving up control.  What do we ask for instead of Dear God, please let us fall in love, or please give us this job?  We say, Dear God my desire, my priority is inner peace.  I want the experience of love.  I don’t know what would bring that to me.  I leave the result of this situation in your hands.  I trust your will.  Amen.”

Be Careful About What You Ask For

That can be a tall order for some, but you see, that romantic partner you think you want or have your eyes on could be the worse person in the world for you and the job you think you want could tie you up in such knots that you have no idea who you are. Winning the lottery could cause you so much pain and grief you wish you’d never even heard the word lottery and so on.  On the other hand, the partner we fancy could be just fine, but God could have a better one in mind.  The job we pray for may satisfy us, but the one God has in mind could take us to heights we never knew we were capable of.  Instead of the lottery, God may have a plan that provides abundance way beyond money. It can be tricky praying for what YOU want.  Because God may have an even bigger dream for you than you could ever dream for yourself.

There’s A Difference Between Intentions and Prayers

This doesn’t mean not wanting certain outcomes or not being clear about what it is you desire.  I have my list of intentions and desires for every aspect of my life.  I like to think of them as giving me clarity, so I recognize wishes fulfilled when they are and giving me a direction in which to head.  But prayer is different.  I am learning it is about surrendering and that MY desires may be just a drop in the bucket compared to God’s desires for me.  Why put limits on God?  It’s some of WHAT I pray for that I am learning to surrender.

Asking for peace and love is so simple and yet so powerful.

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