What do you know about prayer?

According to the dictionary, prayer is a noun and it means “a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or another deity”. Asking for help or thanking a divinity for something. Nothing new so far right?… but “Have you ever thought or paid attention to how you ask for help during your prayers?”

For Christians, I believe “Our Father” is the first prayer that most of us learn as a child, following the Holy Mother. Maybe you have learned that closing your eyes and repeating these words would do the job and /or If you repeat these prayers as many times as you can, you would get help quicker?

In most of the cases, we pray and ask to the superior spirits to help us to get rid of something or someone that is not pleasant… that annoying work colleague or that demanding boss or to be able to afford your own place as you no longer can handle living with your flatmate or family or you could ask for material things such as a luxury car, a better house, more money, more trips…

And please don’t get me wrong! We all have the free will to do whatever we want and to ask for whatever we wish, but perhaps you have to remind yourself about a few things before you say a prayer next time:

– We Are Here to Evolve

No, you are not on holidays – I am sorry to disappoint you!  The only way to evolve is to live and experience situations that would bring you the opportunity to practice things like humbleness, tolerance, detachment, selfishness, hate, acceptance, and the list goes on and on and on.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing like a Tolerance Shop, where you can buy a bag of tolerance for the week to use with your boss or your flatmate or your family. The relationship you have with them will definitely shape your soul.

So, asking for help to “eliminate” these people from your life does not make sense because you need them! You need then more than you think. If they serve as an instrument to improve your essence, either you like or not, you could possibly ask for a different help? Perhaps you can ask for help to be stronger, to have the courage and to be persistent to overcome these “tests”?  

– Everything Happens for a Reason

The lesson will come. If you choose to follow path A or path B, it will come. Again, we are here to become a better person.  First of all, to yourself and then to others. Just embrace the opportunity and make the most of it.

– We Only Get What We Need

And sometimes that is not what we want. This is the purest proof of love that you could ever receive from the Superior Intelligence (whatever name you feel comfortable to use). Getting what you need will make you stronger, more evolved and consequently happier (even though that is not what it seems to be at the beginning).

– Believe in You/ Be Responsible

Just be yourself. Just pray with your heart, with your own words and just be as simple and sincere as you can be. You are responsible for everything that happens to you, with no exception. Responsibility is not the same as guilt. While guilt determines who is the guilty one, the responsibility determines who is compromised to make improvements in many aspects of life.  

It does not depend on how many words you use, but how meaningful and sincere you are. The Universe (whatever name you feel more comfortable to use) knows who you are and what you need. Just trust your guts!

– You Are Not Perfect

You will definitely make a few mistakes during your journey. That is perfectly fine and there is where I want to get … Next time you say a prayer, maybe you could ask for help to be strong enough to face that situation or that person.  

Do not blame yourself for not being able to handle the challenges and circumstances in the best way all the time. Just pay attention to your feelings and emotions. Take this “let-down opportunities” to observe yourself and try harder next time. Forgive yourself and move on. You did the best that you could have done

When it comes to the second meaning found in the dictionary “Expression of thanks addressed to God or another deity”.

– Be Grateful

TO YOURSELF. You are responsible for everything in your life with no exception and you are the most important being in the whole universe. You are unique and that alone should make you feel special and strong.  Just accept yourself the way you are with no resentment. Everything you need to become a better soul is already inside you. This is the true miracle!