Desperate Prayer

 

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 Each one of us has a different way of praying. Some may recite the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary or the Rosary. Others like to recite favourite prayers from their favourite Saints; and some people like to just talk to God and tell Him how they feel. To thank Him and to ask for their needs.

But what happens when events in your life turn it all upside down and things are out of control? When you've been praying and praying for days, weeks and even months and nothing seems to change? When life is more than you can actually handle at the moment? And you're so tired, so desperate and so confused that you can't pray any more?

You don't know how to pray or what to pray. And you’re just too tired and too exhausted and perhaps your faith has taken a battering and a shattering.

What do you do then? Is it all right to turn to God and tell Him just that?

“God, I am fed up. I can't handle it any more. I don't know what to pray and whether or not you are listening. And if you're listening, I know you can help me if you want to, but I don't know whether you want to. I'm confused.”

Is it alright to say this to God?

I believe it is.

If we see God as a loving Father, as a friend, there is nothing wrong in actually telling Him how we feel. He knows how we feel anyway.

So by telling Him we are actually accepting and admitting His omnipotence and His love for us and we are actually asking for His help in our hour of desperate need and confusion.

There's nothing wrong in that. God is big enough to take it. God has already taken our anger on the cross did He not? So He will not be surprised or upset if we tell it as it is.

“God I can't handle it any more. I don't know what to ask you any more. I don't know how to pray any more. I'm just too tired. Please help me!”

I believe in such an honest prayer with nothing held back; a prayer from the heart, God will listen.

God is listening and in His time, in His way, He will help us. That's the bit that confuses us all the time.

In His time in His way He will help us.

All we need to do is to trust Him. Of course it's difficult when our faith has had quite a beating. When we're in trouble and we can't see a way out. But we need to hold on to that faith; even though all physical signs around us are that we are helpless.

Oh, and one more thing. Never underestimate the prayers of others. Prayer is the greatest gift we can give other people, and we can receive from other people. So when we are tired and we can't pray any more, we need to ask other people to pray on our behalf and to ask them to put in a good word for us with God … if you want to see it that way.

Thank you for listening. God bless.

Desperate Prayer

Waiting ... Waiting ... Nothing!

Many of us often pray. Sometimes, our prayers are prayers of thanks to the Lord, but, if we're honest, more often than not we pray because we're asking God for something. We may be asking God to help us find a job, get a promotion at work, better health, a good and happy marriage or whatever else we consider to be our need, or indeed our entitlement. Yes, I repeat ... our entitlement. Because many of us believe we're entitled to things just because we consider ourselves to be good. Life really isn't like that.

Many of us pray for something and in our heart we are really saying: "Come on God! You know I love you. I go to Church every now and then, and deep inside I am really good. Why don't you let me have ... (whatever we want at the time)".

As every parent knows, when children go on and on pesterring for something or other eventually, because we love them, we may well give way and answer their demands.

In fact, Jesus reminds us of this when He mentions the widow who kept pestering the judge day in day out until eventually he gave way and gave her what she wanted. (Luke Chapter 18). In this parable Jesus teaches us not to be discouraged and to continue praying to God our Father for our needs.

But what happens when we pray and wait, and wait and nothing happens? We pray for days, months, sometimes for years for something to happen to improve our lot and God does not seem to listen or answer. We don't know why. Perhaps He is busy with more urgent and pressing demands from someone else. Perhaps our demands are not such a high priority in His ever increasing in-tray. But as far as we're concerned He is not answering; and to be quite honest, we are running out of patience.

What then? When we wait and wait and nothing happens?

Is it OK to get angry with God? To stamp our foot on the ground like a spoilt child and go into tantrums throwing our toys out of the pram in protest?

I believe it is OK to be angry with God. It will not get us very far; but it is still OK.

God can take our anger. He did after all take all our anger when hanging there on the Cross. So a bit of stamping on the ground won't hurt Him that much.

But like any loving parent He will consider our demands, and if it is good for us, He will in His time and in His way respond.

Remember that God can see not only our past but our future too, and sometimes what we're asking for is not exactly what we should have. What is good for us in the long run.

So what should we really do when our prayers are seemingly un-answered. From experience, I believe we should continue praying and have patience. And then some more patience. We really need to trust Him that He knows best. Even if trust itself is stretched to the point of disbelief, we should continue to trust Him. Through gritted teeth even. Continue to trust Him just as a child trust his parents without questioning.

Difficult? Sure it is. But not impossible. I have known people whose life and whose lot has changed from bad to worse over and again. But they never gave up. They continued to trust Him.

And that's the road to Sainthood.

Saints are sinners like you and me; but they never gave up trusting Him.

Desperate Prayers

I hope you find these thoughts about prayer of some comfort.

A desperate prayer.