By Agbortem JC
I once had a serious problem that I needed help and so I had to go to someone for help. Being a problem that needed an administrative intervention, I went to see a top government official. It was not easy at all to meet this man. After a series of appointments, I finally met him. He listened to me keenly and told me, “my boy, I understand how you feel and I assure you, I will see to it that your problem is solved as soon as I can.” I thanked him and left with assurance that I have met the one I know can solve my problem. When he promised me he will see to the solution of my problem, I was relief and full of joy. I no longer put on a sad face.
We are often faced with problems in our lives that we know God alone is the solution to this problems and the only way to channel our petitions to God is through prayers. The question is, what attitude do we have when praying? Do we believe that our prayers shall be answered or do we pray for formality purposes?
It puzzles me when I meet people coming from prayer meetings with sad faces. There are some who after praying to Jesus in front of the Blessed Sacrament still come out with sad faces as if they haven’t prayed. This is lack of faith.
Jesus our Lord and savior promised us that whatever we ask God in his name we shall receive. (John 15:7, Mathew 7:7) Prayer is just like handing our problems to God; it can be compared to giving someone your load to carry for you. (Mathew 11:28) When you give someone your load to carry for you, you are not supposed to feel the weight of the load any longer. When we hand our petitions to God, we are supposed to be relief because God is in control.
A Christian who believes strongly that God answers prayers should not put on a sad face after praying because God does listen to prayers. This is because we do not understand the mystery of prayers.
In the 1st Book of Samuel, the Bible tells us that Hanna went before God to pray for a child. She wept before God, she cried and Eli thought she was drunk. After a short conversation with Eli, she went home and was no longer sad. (Then Eli said, "Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you asked for." Hannah answered, "Let your maidservant deserve your kindness." Then she left the temple and when she was at table, she seemed a different woman. 1 Samuel 1:17-18) Why was she no longer sad?
She believed in the power of prayer and she was confident that God who has listened to her would answer her prayers. This is the attitude a Christian should have after prayers but it is not always the case. Often people grow sad even after a series of novena prayers. Then why pray at all just to remain the same way? Let’s go back to my story!
I was troubled before I met this top government official, yet from when I met him I became consoled because he did listened to me and promised to solve my problem. Hanna had the same experience. She was consoled after praying to God because God listened to her. This is the mystery of prayer.
When we pray with faith, we are supposed to receive instant consoling grace from God that is rooted in our hope that our prayers shall be answered. We do not pray only to receive instant physical answers to our prayers but to receive graces to be firm in our faith in God. It is our lack of understanding to this truth that makes us question God at times if he answers prayers or not? Yet every prayer is answered according to God’s will. “If your child asks for a fish, will you give a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg, will you give a scorpion? Even you evil people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more then will the Father in heaven give Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:11-13)
Dear, good people, as Christians we are privilege to have a God who listens to us whenever we talk to him. He does not only listen, he cares for us from the day of our conception to the day we shall leave this world. (Psalms 55:22, 1Peter 5:7) Each time we pray to God and listen to him, he gives us the graces that will make us be faithful to him because he himself is faithful to his promises. If you pray with faith, you will listen to that small voice saying; “it shall be well with you” and this will make you happy because we serve a faithful God.
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