What of Prayer?

Now, what of prayer? Prayer is the raising of the heart and mind to God --- and in this sense it includes meditation. How may we go about it? And how does it fit in with meditation? Prayer, as commonly understood, is a petition to God. Having opened our channel as best as we can, we try to ask for those things which we and others are in the greatest need…

… of course, it is reasonable and understandable that the question is often asked: "Why can't we take a specific and troubling dilemma straight to God, and in prayer secure from him sure and definite answers to our requests?"

TWELVE STEPS

AND

TWELVE TRADITIONS

STEP ELEVEN

(pp. 102…103)

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The answer to this question is one that is the source of mockery and scorn for most skeptic observers and, I feel, this is for very good reasons. Western spirituality is based on this notion that we come up short with faith if we don't get the right results from prayer. And others can clearly see that self-interest doesn't jive well with humility. Those who profess great faith, throwing every dilemma or personal crises up to God in prayer, are often victims of hubris of equal proportions to their pride in this regard. This can sometimes have tragic and completely unnecessary results when applied to medical conditions: i.e., trusting spiritual faith healers, or any quack, over that of a trained and qualified MD.

            Desperate people tend to make desperate decisions and these include the demands or petitions of prayer when the answers are already there for the most part. For instance, a financial problem can often be managed with self-restraint, prudence and thrift. Hoping to win the lottery through prayer and meditation, when pure chance is involved, is to me the most comical I am guilty of in this regard. How many times have I heard people who do win thank God for the windfall? How about the football player thanking God for the victory as though God preferred his team to that of the other when it was more a matter of perfected skill and teamwork that won the game? Would it not be just as good to thank God for the poverty or loss that nurtures humility in us? If we are to expect miracles then we ought to best become miraculous. The miraculous lifting of spirit in prayer and meditation is where the power of humility is touched on. The pure joy of the presence of God in meditation, staying with me during the hardships of the day ahead, is the source of all healing compassion I might have.

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