I’ve written about various spiritual/ religious topics (i.e. sin, death, etc.), so now I’ll tackle prayer and the prayer life. This is from a personal viewpoint, as that’s the only viewpoint I can really write from. There are many books about prayer, many teachers and many different beliefs about prayer from many different religious viewpoints. I’m going to be talking about my personal feelings and experiences regarding the subject. I will state up front that I see prayer life as essential to living a good, successful, psychologically and emotionally healthy life.
People in our society and culture often throw the word “prayer” around so flippantly that it is almost meaningless, as I see it. Everyone seems to be saying these days, “I’m sending thoughts and prayers your way,” and it just seems a nice cliche, a polite, not often real, seep sincere concern or intention to really stop and “pray.” Do most people who say “thoughts and prayers” really, seriously stop and follow through with action, praying?
Childhood prayers and the prayers we may be taught in a religious organization may be very superficial and rote that we don’t seriously consider what prayer is and how it can impact our life. I was taught the bedtime prayer, “now I lay me down to sleep….” Many friends have told me they, too were taught that one in their childhood.
That may be the start of a prayer life for children, and I’m not criticizing that. But as we grow and evolve, many of us give up on prayer in our lives after that period of childhood praying. Perhaps some continue to occasionally pray in a similar fashion or just learn to give blessings before meals if that practice was pushed in our families. It was a practice in my family. Before dinner, we prayed’ “God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food, amen.” That was it for prayer, along with the bedtime prayer, in my household growing up.
Like many people, prayer after childhood pretty much became non-existent, except for emergency prayer at those rare times in life. You know, like when someone is extremely ill, someone is dying or near death, you are being tested for cancer or AIDS or something like that, or your plane is obviously out of control and it looks like a very bad situation. Oh, yeah, I’ve experienced those times when I suddenly “get religion” of some sort.
I have discovered a whole different experience of praying during my evolving long life on this planet. It’s not that there’s a right and a wrong way to pray, it’s just a different experience, a different way of praying and the results are a whole different way of life, I’ve discovered.
It makes a big difference when you experience God or the Divine Presence, or what ever you want to call “It,” that energy or force or feeling of a presence within you or always surrounding you. When “God” is not some man up in the sky. Something that needs to be called upon to come to you and needs you to explain what’s going on; explain to ‘Him” what you need and you feel you need to plead and beg for something, perhaps make a deal with, negotiate with this God. I feel that treating the god you pray to like a Santa Clause or a “hit man” or a bell boy or servant is not the most effective way to pray. I feel, though, that there are various effective ways to “pray aright.”
What I’m talking about is “affirmative prayer.” It is prayer that is a conversation of oneness with the almighty, the force, the creator. As Jesus says, the Father already knows what you need and it is his good pleasure to give you what you need. You don’t need to explain as if you are talking to a stranger. You don’t need to beg, you don’t need to deal-make with Him (although you might do those things if you are desperate and that is understandable). Like I said, there are many different ways of praying, I’m just laying out what I find works best for me. You can research (google) “affirmative prayer, ” if interested, to get more details on this type of prayer.
What I’ve found out after living a long life is that with prayer, life is better, it goes smoother, it flows better. That’s the bottom line on all of this. Things happen in life. Things happen in a better way when prayer is practiced. I find that when prayer is not practiced or is non-existent in life, things tend to be worse, often. Practicing prayer seems to cause forces in life to come alive, to enter your life. Events occur serendipitously more often when you maintain contact with the “unseen” world, with the presence or spirit I call God. That’s all, life works better. Things turn out better, in the long run, and sometimes in the immediate moment.
Don’t believe in God? I still say prayer is a good practice to try, to experiment with, to play with. You’re dealing with energies and life forces you can’t understand. You don’t have to understand them, you won’t, as I certainly don’t, to be honest. Understanding is not the point, anyway. Just open up to the possibility that there’s more to life, there’s the unseen life, the spiritual dimension. Get more good coming your way, experience being blessed, even super blessed! I know it’s possible, I’ve experienced it. I’m much more aware of it now since I have studied it and practiced it more in my life.
Now I’m not being naive or pollyannish. Bad, awful things happen in life. I’m saying that if God IS, then God ALWAYS is, and God is in EVERY situation in our life. God is with you in your difficult, even horrible situation. I feel it is better than being all alone, knowing there is a presence with you. It is easier, as I see it, if you always practice a prayer life, rather than just turning to prayer, turning to the Divine only in emergency situations. In other words, I find a prayer life is better than a prayer less life. As I see it, it’s more a matter of “practice makes better” than “practice makes perfect.” And, if your prayer life has been a disappointment, I say try new ways of prayer. See what’s out there in this great universe of ours.
I only wish I had discovered the secret of good honest, loving, compassionate prayer earlier in life. I know things would have gone better, decisions and choices would have flowed easier. The struggles would not have been so horrendous at times. I would have had more faith, confidence, and possibly more certainty at those difficult times. Life has turned out well, but I could have had an easier time with a good prayer life of “praying aright.”
So, those are my thoughts on this topic of prayer and the prayer life. I’m just saying what works for me on this path of a wonderful life. Sending loving prayers and thoughts your way! Hahaha! (No, really, REALLY!)
Wally