Aligning my will with God's will through prayer

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"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7: 7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."

I gave the closing prayer in a church meeting not long ago. Since then, I've been thinking a lot about prayer.

I know God hears and answers prayers. I testify of that.

As I prayed at the end of this meeting, I recounted what the speakers had presented and asked for blessings that aligned with what they taught. I wasn't praying for miracles. I was praying for things that the entire congregation could accomplish. I realized that this prayer felt more like setting goals. Since then, I have been pondering this idea.

A prayer is not a plead for the impossible. It is a request for strength and guidance to accomplish what we are able to do with God's help. The purpose of prayer is to align our will with His will.

As we nurture our relationship with the Father and learn more of Him, we will desire more to be like Him. We will readily align our will, our desires, with His, because we desire the same things.

Our prayers become more like an accounting of our efforts and a time to seek advice and share goals with our Father.

Rather than asking for what seems impossible, we will be asking for things that are very much possible with the blessings of the Lord. We will grow and progress rapidly, because we will be directed toward what is best for us.

My prayers have changed a lot since that day.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This is my first time here, and this post is extremely helpful to me! I have many questions regarding spirituality as I am entering into a more personal relationship with God. I hope to be able to resort to this blog to learn more about my journey.

thanks so much
vickie
April 28, 2009 at 6:00 PM
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