Some people pray for a material outcome, don’t achieve that outcome, and then agonize that all their prayers were in vain, wasted effort.
This ought not to be. And it can be remedied!
A person in need can turn to God in prayer and find practical healing results from letting Truth and Love take over their thinking and bring restoration to mind and body. Sometimes this happens quickly. Other times it takes longer.
In the longer cases, it’s important to remember that every prayer matters. Every prayer does make a difference. Every prayer is a step closer to the final proper outcome.
Prayer with a right motive spiritualizes thought. Prayer is not about getting something material that one does not possess or manifest. It’s not about improving a material condition or fixing a physical body. It’s about realizing what has been spiritually true all along. As Jesus instructed, “Know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” Prayer is the act of knowing the truth that sets you free. There is a perfect God and a perfect creation. Prayer is our means of seeing it that way and experiencing it that way. It happens step-by-step, prayer-by-prayer.
So, if prayer is sincere, it is an act of knowing truth, growing in an understanding of Truth, or God. That is always a progressive step to take. Gaining in knowledge of Truth always takes a person to a better place.
So, if an internal voice is complaining that all your prayers are in vain, ask yourself, “Am I praying right? Am I praying to grow in my understanding of Truth?” If the answer is yes, and is honest, then that’s what you are doing. You are growing in your understanding of Truth. And it has a correlative reward. The prayer of understanding is not a vain prayer. It is a successful effort that pays permanent dividends.
There is no such thing as a wasted prayer. It doesn’t happen. It can’t happen. Every prayer brings a blessing. Keep up those prayers!
“The more difficult seems the material condition to be overcome by Spirit, the stronger should be our faith and the purer our love.”
~Mary Baker Eddy (S&H 410:15-17)
Thanks. Just what I needed!
Bob B
Thank you for the reminder! I also like ” Men’s extremity is God’s opportunity” from Mrs. Eddy.
Happy Days!!!
Most people are taught to bend down on your knees, put your hands together and start your prayer with; “PLEASE GOD.” Did you know that by understanding and knowing that “2+2=4” is an example of true prayer? It’s not the asking or begging God, just like it’s not the asking or begging the system of mathematics that gives one the right answers. IT’S THE KNOWING THAT COUNTS, THAT BRINGS THE PRAYER TO FRUITION, LIKE THE KNOWING WHAT 2+2 IS, THAT BRINGS THE MATHEMATICAL ANSWER TO FRUITION.
Absolutely!!!
Thank you, Evan. Your comments were just what I needed today. I like that you said gaining in a knowledge of truth always takes us to a better place. That’s a nice reframe, after thinking that my prayers weren’t working. I know I am on the right track now!
Thanks Evan. I have found that if you stay the course, there is always a spiritual solution for every material illusion.
I am so grateful for your timely blog. A great reminder! I like what you said “It is a successful prayer that brings permanent dividends.”
Excellent! Thank you very much.
Prayer is not about getting something material that one does not possess or manifest. It’s not about improving a material condition or fixing a physical body. It’s about realizing what has been spiritually true all along.
Hmmmm, so if my home was one of the 680,000 homes destroyed by hurricane Sandy, do not prayer for another homes, just acknowledge the spiritual home I have with Spirit and this winter will not be a problem. Something lost in translation there.
The spiritual home God provides is always with you. It’s the warmth and comfort of Love, the strength of Truth, the wisdom of Mind, and so on. When faced with physical destruction, like seen with Hurricane Sandy, mortal mind screams, “You’ve lost your home!” But prayer, to remember and understand that the real substance of home is never lost,–the wisdom, care, warmth, shelter and protection of divine Love–opens the human mind up to see how a physical home is going to happen again. This is how the spiritual translates into human needs met. If one, struck with devastating loss, allows their thinking to stay mired in hopelessness and despair, (feeling a lack of home) they are less likely to see how home is going to happen again. But prayer to see ever-present supply, to break out of that despair and depression, opens thought to see how home is going to happen.
Hope that helps clear up any confusion…
“So, if an internal voice is complaining that all your prayers are in vain,” also know that this voice is not your voice. It is mortal mind pretending to be you. Mortal mind is a great deceiver, and seems to be our own thinking, but it is just a pretender all along — never real, never from God. If God didn’t say it, it never was voiced.
Kathleen
As usual, divine Mind brings what I need and me together at just the right moment! Thanks for this moment.