The Practice of Prayer By Joe Pikul

 The Practice of Prayer

When my son was very young, he asked me how he could become stronger. I showed him how to do push-ups and sit-ups and told him they would help with his normal activity. Three days later, he came to me complaining that he was no stronger. I wanted to laugh, but just for my information, I asked him how many of each exercise he did each day. His answer was he did five of each on the first day and then stopped because they were hard.





Many of us treat prayer like that. We would never expect to lose weight or improve our body image without some time and effort. Yet, like a seven-year-old child, we think prayer should be different. Some think that time or effort is needed because our prayers are directed to an all-powerful source.

I have found that prayer usually takes practice, like so many other wonderful opportunities we are afforded in this magical gift we call life. The fact is that we are praying to the almighty and not for the almighty. We are the ones who need the prayers, not God.

To make prayer work, we must learn to ask our heavenly Father for our intention. In addition, most of us need to develop the Faith and the will to learn how to receive that same intention. Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verse 7: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

However, we cannot have expectations like a 7-year-old child who feels he did his part with five push-ups and five sit-ups. If we are asking for change, we must be willing to listen when God gives us the knowledge of what to do. We must also be willing to act to get it. That same wisdom is true for the practice of prayer.

Go to your private place of prayer with a sincere heart. Be willing to listen even if the inspiration is inconvenient. Know that God will guide you to the degree you are willing to be guided. Above all, keep preying. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will open.    

 

Peace, Joe Pikul