Okay How Should I Pray
because it never seemed to work in the past
Maybe we should begin with understanding what prayer is. Keeping it simple, prayer is simply talking to God, whoever or whatever your idea of a Higher Power or a God is.
Is It God? Yes. Allah? Of course. Buddha? Certainly. And the list goes on. It is not important what you call your Higher Power. What is important is that you know that there is an energy form that created the universe and all that is in it.
Also, a good thing for me to remember, especially when I am feeling “high and mighty,” is that there is a Higher Power and it is not me.
Now, how do you talk to God, as is mentioned in the definition of prayer? When many think of prayer, they recall their lessons in religion maybe starting in their youth.
I know that I did and didn’t care for what I had learned. I thought that God was someone who was to be feared! God lives in Heaven “Up there somewhere in the sky!” God is judgmental and ready to decide whether I end up in heaven or hell.
Ever notice that when some talk of God or heaven, they look and even point up? And when talking of hell, they look and point down? I remember hearing all of this and more.
Also, God was Someone who “lived” up in heaven keeping score from a list He had on a scroll on whether or not I was naughty or nice, just like Santa does.
Some of the ministers that I had some contact with even went so far as to let me know that if I wanted to communicate with God, the minister was who I must go through.
Needless to say, I didn’t like hearing all of this so I just “dropped out” of the religious scene, when I was in my 20s or so. I stayed away until I was in my mid to late 30s when I began hearing about spirituality.
At first, I thought that spirituality and religion were just different words to describe the same thing. But, I also saw some others who described themselves as more spiritual being happy, joyous, and free.
I wanted this, too, so I began my studies of spirituality.
Possibly the most important thing that I learned about spirituality that I had not seen in any of my infrequent brushes with organized religion was that God is love and does not “Live” up in heaven but in our hearts.
I grabbed onto this with both hands. This made it personal. Emmet Fox, one of the early leaders of the “New Thought” movement, said, “Every thought is a prayer.” WOW! This can be one of two things, empowering or threatening. I choose to be empowered and welcome it.
I can talk with God just like I talk with a friend. I don’t have to figure out which of the biblical phrases or words to use, just tell Him what is on my mind. And, since He is in my heart, He already knows.
Okay, so now that I know how to talk to God, how do I know what He is saying back? God does not talk conversationally with us. But He communicates. He communicates with vibrations, intuitions, and “gut feelings.” After all, even physics classes tell us we are living in a vibrational universe.
In this way, I carry on two-way “conversations” with God. I send Him a humble thought/prayer and get out of His way and am blessed to receive knowledge of the right thing to do.
I have used this for finding successful answers from the most simple questions to very serious, life-or-death situations. From do I turn left or right at the light to do I assent to having my wife taken off of life support? Which, of course, is another story altogether!
I can’t and won’t tell you what to do or believe. I can only relate to you how I stay happy, joyous, and free, even if something serious is happening to me or another. I am not happy about the suffering of anyone but I am happy that I can and do now make proper decisions about the problems.
Thank you, God!
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