When do you feel the need to pray? When bad things happen? For protection? For guidance? But has it occurred to you that sometimes we need prayer in order to do the good things? To take action or look inwards?
It’s OVBS time here in Bahrain.
And while Steve is curious and restless as to how he will know more about God through an online interface, I am thoroughly enjoying the songs and sessions the Church is organising for these little ones.
Every day we both get to learn something new.
Yesterday I had a beautiful takeaway from Steve’s class. The teacher, a sweet young girl pointed out from the lesson-
“We need prayer in order to do the good things”
It made me ponder. There have been many times in my life, when I have wished and consistently pursued an outcome that is important to me.
Some examples include getting a job in my line of work in Bahrain, having a normal delivery, a healing for my very dear ones etc. All seemingly good things for me and my family.
These prayers were not answered at all. Yet they put me on a pursuit of understanding what God meant to me and what I may mean to Him.
You see, it is easy when prayers are answered. You feel blessed and go on about your life.
But when a persistent prayer goes unanswered what do you do? Do you doubt God’s plans for you? Do you feel unloved?
I definitely felt a little unloved. And for the longest time, I switched to the pursuit of finding my identity. I started believing in the popular idea that if I took control over my thoughts and actions, everything will be fine.
I continued with my prayers, but in my mind I thought “God I respect you but I can do this myself.” Once bitten twice shy right?
Well, God did not take that very well.
And when I started feeling emptier and tired of chasing my own “self”, discontent even after finding a little success, He pursued me through unexpected experiences and people and led me to the Bible time and again.
As though saying- “why do you worry? You are my daughter and I will love you and protect you even if you don’t want me to.”
Yes, the real struggle in prayer life I have gathered is, to not be influenced by your own will. To not be led into the egocentric idea that if God wants you to be happy, loved and successful, He will answer your prayers!
We need prayer in order to do the good things.
Because prayer doesn’t necessarily mean that you tell God what He must do for you. Sometimes prayers are needed so you can understand Him, His ways, His purpose for your life.
Prayers are needed so you can make your will align to His!
So you can take action towards His choices for you.
As C.S. Lewis rightly puts it- “prayer…..doesn’t change God. It changes me.”
How does prayer change you?
It puts you in the right train of thoughts
It calms you down
It gently strengthens you to move forward and do the right things- the things that are good in His eyes despite what may seem against you!
It gives you the opportunity to participate in His grand plan for you and others.
Isn’t it amazing to be working for God?
PS- OVBS stands for Orthodox Vacation Bible School- a week long school for Christian children to understand and know more about God, Jesus and the Bible.
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