I believe the biggest misconception about prayer is that it is a way of making our wishes come true if, they are noble, or well intentioned.. When in fact true prayer is more about personal communication, and spiritual growth with God. Let's look at the most perfect example of prayer. It is found in Mt. 6:9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one
In Jesus's prayer, you will notice that the In the beginning we are to acknowledge God, and his authority. Then to carry on with this Idea in verse 10, We are to pray that it is God's will that we seek, and not our own. (Your will be done.)
This next verse is all that is modeled for us as far as getting our "wants/needs" filled, but only in so far as our daily bread or our minimum daily requirements. Then we are to ask for forgiveness of our sins, but only if we can forgive those who sin against us. Finally in verse 13 we ask God to keep us from temptation, and the Evil one...
The Lord's Prayer is not meant to be a chant or a memory verse, but a model of all formal prayer. This formula can be followed in the words left here in the book of Matthew or we can use our own words, but the underlining direction of our formal prayers should follow this prayer model.
If in your prayers you seek "your will be done" over that of God's then it is time to stop and take a serious look at what it is you really want from God.. Is it a relationship that you seek, that has you changing your will to that of God's? Or do you seek a magic prayer genie that makes your life easier?
We are told that once our lives have been given over to God we will experience Hard times.. "Trials" are apart of what it is to be a Christian, Primarily because it is God's will.. (So if we pray "God's will be done...)
I believe, the sooner you can except God's will for your life over that of your own, the sooner this trial will end, and after a possiable rest you can begin the next one.
I started by saying what prayer is not. Let me finish with a little more detail of what I believe prayer to be. "Prayer" is the measure of your spiritual commitment to God. Look at the time you spend with God.. Now honestly look at what, or more importantly Who your prayers are more focused on..
In The Lord's Prayer God is the focus, and then it shifts to the relationship or your ability to have and maintain a relationship with God, and finally you or your needs round out the prayer.
But if you pray, and you or your perceived needs are paramount, then I'd ask the question, is what I'm doing even praying? There is an element of "praise" in prayer that is absent from wish making..
If you find yourself making wishes, fear not this is not the end of your relationship with God, but your beginning.. If you in fact want what God wants. Simply Start out with the Lord's prayer, and ask, (not just chant,) Ask That his will be done in your life, and that you can accept whatever that may look like, And keep asking until you get what your heart seeks.
