R. S. Martin Posted May 2, 2014 Posted May 2, 2014 Or what I consider its equivalent. I didn't kneel and I didn't say pious words but I certainly concentrated and contemplated a serious on-going problem whose solution eludes me month after month. I consulted knowledgeable people but mostly I worked on my own to come up with a solution if at all possible. By the end of the business day my prayers were answered. I made one more phone call in late afternoon, determined this time to get through to the person I was promised would call me as soon as she got in this morning. The powers-that-be are working on a solution to make all parties happy, to avoid the problem of the neighbour blocking my street access on our shared driveway. Hallelujah! Now all I got to do is trust that it will actually happen and work out. And not fret when I get blocked in a few more times before it can be arranged. There are complication and it may take some weeks. At least I'm working with visible human beings whose voices I can hear with my ears and whose faces I can see in meetings.
seeker001 Posted May 2, 2014 Posted May 2, 2014 There is nothing wrong with being in prayer if that is what is giving you comfort as long as you don't rely on prayer alone to solve your problems. We all need coping mechanisms to deal with the shit in our lives, and sometimes all that can be done is hope for the best. Can't control everything.
R. S. Martin Posted May 2, 2014 Author Posted May 2, 2014 I should clarify. I used "prayer" in jest more or less. Some would say I was moping, obsessing, when the day would have been better spent doing something constructive. I twisted it to show that prayer is no more than moping and obsessing about problems, either. I quit praying while I was still a Christian. It happened when I was waiting for a meeting re some serious life issue--just another in a long series of problems in a life that wasn't working. It was like the Holy Spirit gave me a distinct message that prayer was wrong. Releasing the burden of prayer was such a relief. No longer having to actively hope and trust for hopeless things to work out--or be damned if I failed to trust enough--was a much-needed relief. I did not feel at all that I was leaving off my Christianity or disobeying God. After all, the message had come directly from the Holy Spirit! I didn't tell anyone. I just quit praying. If others prayed I played along but turned off my mind so that I myself wasn't praying.
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