The Powerful Prayer

Do you guys pray? If yes, do you guys believe that your prayers are heard? If yes, do you believe that the heard prayers will be granted? If yes, do you believe that the prayers will be granted just in time? Ahaa…that’s a series questions for you to think of.

You guys know that I’m doing what I can to be a devout follower of my religion. But I am still a human being. I am just another weak soul on this planet Earth. I could read a lot of religious book, hear a lot of sermons and still be doubtful about many things that I can’t see and touch.

In my whole life, I have the experience when my prayers were not answered in time. I remember those times when I was so mad with everything around me because my life was screwed up just because I could not settle a problem in time. Those times, of course I was younger. I liked to blame just for the sake of having something to blame. I remember being mad at God too because I thought that He did not listen to my prayers. So maybe, those bitter times are more remembered than those good times when miracle happened. I couldn’t name how many of my prayers were answered, but I’m very sure they are quite a few of them.

Remembering the times when the prayers weren’t answered is very hurtful. It makes you feel sick to even pray. Cos when you pray, you put high hopes that it will be granted urgently. So when it doesn’t, you will feel so hurt inside. All your hopes just crushed and turned into dust. You hate that feeling. So the next time when you have a very serious problem that need to be solved as fast as possible, you would think twice, whether or not you should stop for a moment and pray?

Thinking of the times when your important prayers weren’t answered, it is bitter to even start a prayer. You hate to get hurt again if the prayer proved to be unattended. I feel this way to sometimes. I know it’s silly but I do it. Do you know the feeling when you have done everything you can and still things don’t happen the way you expect them to? Like everything is not in your control anymore. You have said some prayers of hope in your heart but nothing happens for months. What would you do?

It happened to me recently. I have been waiting for a problem to settle for months. This caused a lot of other problems that put me in a difficult situation. I have done my effort, but to no avail. I told myself, “[256], you should try and read that Novena prayer” but my heart was so heavy to even do the prayer. I was afraid that I put too much hope in it and still nothing happened. It might affect my faith. I don’t want that to happen. But I BELIEVE that Novena prayer is a Very powerful prayer beside Rosary Prayer. So finally I decided to read that Novena prayer using the prayer book of Novena for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. But again, I was too occupied with my activities, I could not find a quality time for it. I felt guilty because I delayed the prayer again and again. I just whispered silently in my heart that only God could help me with my situation. But I don’t know why I feel like God wanted me to read the prayer because He could send me an answer. I don’t know why I felt that way. So…after delaying it for so long, I finally forced myself to make time for it on the day of Christmas Eve. I woke up that early morning, and said the prayer with such devotion.

Yes, it was on the day of Christmas Eve. I went to work that day like usual. I planned to go back early from work because I wanted to prepare for the Christmas Eve Mass. Who would have guessed, that out of nowhere, I received a surprising visit from a representative who told me that my problem was almost settled? I mean, Yes, exactly what I was praying for during the Novena prayer only a few hours before that. The prayer that I’ve been delaying for months. This problem was bothering me for almost half a year already and who would have guessed that I received the answer on the day I said the Novena prayer? And it was a ridiculous day for a matter like that to happen because it was the day when most people were busy with holidays? But it happened!! My eyes wide opened in disbelief. “God, you answered my prayer, right?”

My infinite gratefulness to God is beyond words. What I was mostly amazed of not because I finally got what I wanted. I was amazed that God proved it to me that Yes, He listens to our prayer. He wants to help us but we are just too selfish to even pause and say a prayer. Well, maybe some of you will have something to say that you still say that your prayers were not answered. Maybe we should examine our ways. Are we too greedy? Do we ask for too much? Do we request something just for our own benefit? One thing that I have read and remember about this is…

God Doesn’t Give What You Think You Want, Instead, He Gives You What He Knows You Need.

Let’s not quit praying. Maybe it’s all God needs from you before he answers your prayer :)

Thank You Lord.