When we pray for others, we are trusting in God to do that which we are incapable of doing; and just as we trust in God to know best what is best for us, we should likewise believe that God knows best what is best for others. For it should not be that our will be done in others, but that His will be done in others.
Something that can perhaps hinder our prayers is when, after praying to God for others, we want to do something that we think should be done, or say something that we think should be said---when, in fact, we could be part of the problem---especially if we are having a relationship difficulty with other people. In such case, perhaps we should include ourselves in the very prayer that we are asking God with respect to others: then stand still and wait, saying and doing nothing, as God works to accomplish His will.
Waiting is not always easy for humans, however. We can be impatient, wanting something done quickly. And if God will work at our pace, we are certain the situation could be fixed, the way we want it to be fixed, in a matter of no time at all--especially if we have identified the problem--or so we think.
Truthfully, however, the very people we pray for are also connected to many other people, and not just ourselves.
Knowing this, is it also possible that I am the problem and not them? Or, perhaps the problem is in both parties, and God must therefore work in two arenas to bring a peace treaty to the table---all in His time.
For all of these reasons, and for reasons we are unable to see, prayers can go unanswered for days, weeks, months, and even for years. But this waiting period does not mean that God has forgotten about our prayers. For God's work to answer prayers is not always easy work, even for Him, because people can be quite difficult: impatient, stubborn, hard-headed, and, most of all, very proud.
For people do not always want to change, even for God.
So then, what do we do?
Pray, and move on. Pray, and live on. Be what we believe God wants us to be, and be no more.
Above all else, we should let God be God, and to pray in accordance to the example that Christ gave to us:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And leadeth us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6: 9-13)
Something that can perhaps hinder our prayers is when, after praying to God for others, we want to do something that we think should be done, or say something that we think should be said---when, in fact, we could be part of the problem---especially if we are having a relationship difficulty with other people. In such case, perhaps we should include ourselves in the very prayer that we are asking God with respect to others: then stand still and wait, saying and doing nothing, as God works to accomplish His will.
Waiting is not always easy for humans, however. We can be impatient, wanting something done quickly. And if God will work at our pace, we are certain the situation could be fixed, the way we want it to be fixed, in a matter of no time at all--especially if we have identified the problem--or so we think.
Truthfully, however, the very people we pray for are also connected to many other people, and not just ourselves.
Knowing this, is it also possible that I am the problem and not them? Or, perhaps the problem is in both parties, and God must therefore work in two arenas to bring a peace treaty to the table---all in His time.
For all of these reasons, and for reasons we are unable to see, prayers can go unanswered for days, weeks, months, and even for years. But this waiting period does not mean that God has forgotten about our prayers. For God's work to answer prayers is not always easy work, even for Him, because people can be quite difficult: impatient, stubborn, hard-headed, and, most of all, very proud.
For people do not always want to change, even for God.
So then, what do we do?
Pray, and move on. Pray, and live on. Be what we believe God wants us to be, and be no more.
Above all else, we should let God be God, and to pray in accordance to the example that Christ gave to us:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And leadeth us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6: 9-13)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments will not be published openly.