Prayer Problems
OK, so yeah, I have problems with prayer, especially the “granting our desires” kind of prayer. Either God wants your particular desire satisfied or He doesn’t. If He doesn’t, then guess what? It won’t be. Your desire might be changed, it may go away, but you ain’t getting your way. Now consider this: What is the benefit of praying for something God does not want for you? Does it irritate Him? Is it sinful to pray for something God is opposed to?
The Apostle Paul tells us to pray incessantly. “Don’t Stop!”
I bought new pedals and shoes for my bicycle. Straps keep my feet in the shoes, while cleats clip my shoes to the pedals. I am attached to the bike, and it to me; man and machine become one vehicle.
Not one to generally pray as Paul advises, this time I did so. “Lord, grant that my body be strong and this ride be safe.”
As I pedaled away I realized I forgot to lock my car. I turned around and unclipped my right shoe. The bottom of the shoes is shiny, slick, coated plastic. As I slowed, my right shoe slipped off the pedal and I couldn’t unclip my left shoe. Over I fell, with the bicycle on top of me. I got up, retrieved my keys, locked the car and reconnected shoes to pedals.
With bruised hip, and bleeding elbow I started over, chuckling at the power of prayer. God can indeed be funny at times! Whether it was prayer, or God, or just my slick shoes that slapped me to the ground, is unknown. However, my prayer preceded my fall!
I wondered several things as I rode. Did I pray for something I shouldn’t have bothered God about? Adam fell without praying, was this a symbolic lesson linking my prayer and my fall? Did my fall prevent something worse from happening further down the road, or was it just a funny coincidence? Was my successful and longer than usual ride God’s response to my prayer?
The answer to these questions is the same: I don’t know. And that’s my problem with prayer. I just don’t know.
One thing is certain. I now lock my car before I clip on!
Pax vobiscum
Tom Paine
2 Comments
Reader Comments (2)
I have stopped praying for the things that I desire. I tell Him honestly what I want, then I pray for Him to turn my will to His so that I want what He wants for me. I think all the possibilities (except that God didn't want to be bothered and/or was playing a joke on you) you listed above are possible.
For safe travel, I pray that God goes with me and helps me to stay careful and alert, to think clearly in order to make wise decisions. I suppose I do ask that I arrive safely, though, and I guess that's an outcome. So I guess I don't really know either. But I do know this: God wants to be involved in our everything - from the "important" financial decisions to the mundane recreational choices. So don't stop praying before your bike rides! :)
Your prayer changed you, didn't it? Had you not prayed, you would not have spent riding time thinking about your prayer. Your prayer did, indeed, make you think differently.
And, although you may not know God any better because of your prayer, you did purposely let God know you more intimately, i.e your hopes, intentions, expectations. Prayer is a relationship development project -- revealing and discovering.