Praying With Conviction

When I was younger, I used to think that there was something very special about me. All my prayers used to come true! If I would pray for guidance, reconciliation or even material comforts, those things would be provided for me. Somewhere in my life, I started to lose my faith. Not necessarily in my belief in God or in the teachings I practiced but in the belief that God loved me and would provide for me. I continued to pray but over time, I noticed that even my most fervent prayers were no longer being answered.

When you pray for something and believe that it is going to come true, then you approach that issue with hope and positivity and there is a chance that you may receive what you are praying for. But if you pray for something while being convinced it will never happen, then you have no chance of attaining it.  Sometimes we may be afraid of what will happen if our prayers are actually answered. Sometimes you may feel you don't deserve happiness or peace. You do.

When I was young I believed my prayers would come true and so I took actions that would help them come to fruition. There is a quote attributed to Frederick Douglass that speaks to this. He said, "I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs."  For our prayers to be answered we must have faith that they can be answered and when we have that faith we are no long afraid of taking the risks or putting in the work that it will take to help them be answered.

Today when I offered my prayers and made my supplication at the end, I did so with the peaceful knowledge that God will answer my prayers and if He doesn't He will bless me with patience so I no longer desire what I once did.