The Power Of Prayer

Not so long ago, I did not understand the "Power of Prayer".  I used to look at people like they were half crazy when I heard them say "I will pray for you".  I used to think..."You are going to pray for me?  And why would God listen to you...if there is a God?"

In fact, up until a year ago I had never prayed for anything or anyone. Many times I had "wished" for things that may have resembled a prayer or participated in the many scripted prayers of our Catholic faith...plenty of Our Father's, Hail Mary's and Glory Be's.   However, it was not until recently that I discovered the mystery and power of prayer.  Not just a few scripted lines or wishes floating through my head. Real prayer.  The "I surrender myself to you God", the "I know that I am not in control and all things rest upon You" and "I'm down on my hands and knees with tears in my eyes" kind of prayer.

Although the "Power of Prayer" seems like an abstract idea, it is actually very, very real.  Does God always answer our prayers in the way we want? No. But He does hear and answer them...in His own way of course! Sometimes it takes weeks, months or years. Other times, our prayers are not answered until long after we die.  In fact, I think there are even times when God answers our prayers immediately but we are so caught up in our lives that we fail to recognize the miracle.  Many times we have already moved onto the next struggle, forgetting the struggles of yesterday.
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When I first began praying last year, I did not even know how to pray.  God was an abstract image and I was disconnected from Him.  I literally had to open up my heart, let go of all my anger and ask Him to heal me.  One night during Lent last year I prayed, "God, I do not know you, I have never talked to you and I do not have a relationship with you.  But I want to know you, I want to talk to you, I want a relationship with you.  Teach me how to pray.  Let me believe in you and please come into my life".

My faith in the Power of Prayer is this: It literally took Divine Intervention to intercede and change my heart.  Without God's help, I was incapable of this sort of transformation. I was not brainwashed or tricked into believing in God and there was no one in my life who was influencing me.  My husband is Agnostic and at the time, none of my friends were Catholic.  Aside from my mother and sister who lived 1,500 miles away, I did not know any practicing Catholics.  Although my sister did encourage me to read a particular Catholic book, I am not easily persuaded.  I am a "Type A" personality and I only do things I want to do.  But when the Holy Spirit intercedes, even "Type A's" become powerless.

Within a few days of my first prayer, I literally felt this heavenly embodiment wrap itself around me.  It grabbed a hold of my heart and has not let go.  I am not going to say that my life has become easier or that I no longer have struggles.  In fact, it is quite the contrary.  Since my conversion, I sometimes feel as if I have been given more crosses to bare.  My crosses are hidden behind isolation, self doubt and doubting God's love for me.  When I find myself in the midst of doubt and I feel the powerful forces of Evil casting a shadow on my heart, I have to immediately place myself in God's presence. Maintaining a daily prayer life takes acknowledging that we are not in control and we need all the Divine Intercession we can get...but the key to all of this is that we have to ask for it!

"Ask and you shall receive.  Seek and you shall find.  Knock and the door will be opened to you." - Luke 11:9

Go ahead...Open up and ask God to be present in your life.  He will come to you.

Seek God.  For the past two-thousand years, the Holy Spirit has been hard at work within the Catholic Church to provide us with as much information and enlightenment that anyone could need.  Since the Pentecost, the stories of the Church and her Saints have inspired the works of many modern theologians, writers and speakers.  There are thousands of Catholic websites, books, blogs, audio tapes and podcasts available.  Seek them out and be prepared for the inspiration they will bring you.

Knock on God's Heavenly Door.  Remember, when you knock, you are saying "I am ready to make a change in my life.  I am ready to become the best version of myself.  I am ready to love...especially those who are not worthy of my love.  I am ready to do all of this because God loves me."

God deeply desires you...do you desire Him? During this Lenten season, I pray that the Holy Spirit works in your heart and draws you into His mystery.