"We were talking about this sort of thing in my life group last week. The problem with fighting the fight is that you have to have faith that in the end your prayers will be answered, but how long do you wait? For how long to you fight?? That's the tough part and up to each person. And that's when loved ones come in handy because dammit, fighting all the time wears a person out. But don't give up just yet, Miss Charlie... <3 you!"
I replied back to her but it started to get a little long and got me thinking about the power of prayer and to whom we all pray to and what kind of faith do you have to have to get a prayer answered? So here I am writing about it.
If one's faith has been tested, like mine, and I'm not sure about the idea of God anymore, to whom do I pray? Also because my faith has been tested, I'm not sure how much faith I have in prayer itself. If I'm not sure about the existence of a God and not sure about the power of prayer, what do I do then to help someone when they are in a time of need? What do I do for myself? I know that many people believe strongly in the power of prayer but I know that I have never had a prayer answered so am I praying wrong? Or did I never really have the faith needed to get an answered prayer? I hate the saying, "God works in mysterious ways," cause I wish He didn't, if He does in fact exist. I wish he was just straight forward with his "ways." I mean I understand prayer doesn't work like writing your wishlist for Christmas and mailing it to Santa Clause and if you've been a good boy or girl, you'll see some of those items off your wishlist in your stocking when Christmas time comes. I know you're not gonna win the lottery the next day if you get down on your knees, clasp your hands together, and pray to win the lottery tomorrow. I know that. But as simplegrl74 said, how long do you have to wait to have your prayers answered? Because I've been waiting a long time. Is there some kind of pre-requisite for how much faith you have to have like how extra curricular activities look good on your college application?
Because of my tested faith in God, when someone I care about is in need of a prayer, I have been praying to the Universe, more or less because I feel like a hypocrite if I pray to a God I'm not sure how strongly I believe in anymore. But I do believe in the way the Universe works. So I pray for those that need it in my own special, weird way. I want to believe in a God and I want to believe in the power of prayer but I haven't found any kind, ANY KIND of evidence to make me believe in it so. Maybe that's where the scientist in me comes out. It's also where my anger presents itself. My anger is conflicted because if I question the existence of a God, then the only place I can direct my anger is at myself and that is a dangerous place to aim. It can lead to dark places. I've been there, so I know.
Someone please tell me another description for "God's ways," because working in mysterious ways doesn't quite work for me. I'm not asking for an immediate answer but as my follower said, and I'll say it again, how long do I have to wait and how much faith do I have to have for a prayer to finally be answered? And as she also said, our loved ones and friends become key in helping us to fight the fight. It can be much like a 24/7 marathon where when one runner gets tired, they pass the baton (the fight) onto the next person who then helps the fighter keep running on in the marathon and fighting the battles they face by running beside them and while the others are resting up from their fighting run, they continue on the sidelines handing out water bottles as I need them. I need your help, my friends and family. I can't do this alone.
1 comment:
Faith is something that can be very tricky. I know people that are so completely optimisitc and have an immeasurable amount of faith. I am not one of those people; faith is also something that I struggle with every day. The tricky thing is that faith is NOT something tangible. And it isn't a matter of "having enough faith". I don't believe that there is a certain level at which you have enough faith and no longer need any more. Faith is a principle of action and power. Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our hope for something that we cannot yet see. The Apostle Paul taught that “faith is the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.
As we take action, exercising our faith, we create a sure foundation to build our lives on. I think this means that we just sometimes have to move forward in life, make decisions and in doing that, we are showing that we are willing to do everything we can on our end to live - and our Heavenly Father will help us.
Do not think you are alone in your struggles with faith. Even I, as a fairly religious person, struggle with it every day. It's all a part of life, having failures and successes; but if you move forward with your own life as much as you possible can, it will work out. Maybe not the way you planned, but when does life ever go according to plan? ;)
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