| Do you pray? | | | | Why do some of us pray? It is not about reading |
| There are many who do not believe in prayer. | | | | popular prayers- this helps. But in prayer, we |
| There are many non-believers that walk among | | | | express in our own way, in our own words our |
| us. It does not matter that they were raised by | | | | intentions. There are deep-rooted fears that no |
| parents who believed in prayers- they were | | | | one knows about, but in prayer, we are free to |
| taught to say their good morning and goodnight | | | | express those fears and feel confident that |
| prayers. They grow up saying prayers before | | | | someone listens. In silence, we surrender our pain, |
| meals. Some have attended church service in | | | | our sorrow, our guilt, our sins. One can argue, God |
| their childhood. But, children find their own way as | | | | has heard all these. Ahh, but, believe that your |
| they grow older. There are many who dismiss | | | | prayer is special to God. He listens to our prayers. |
| the practise of praying. | | | | We are allowed to pray for something frivolous. |
| The key element of prayer is that it establishes a | | | | Prayer does not specify that we pray only for |
| relationship with God. Abraham experienced this in | | | | the critical factors in life - like food, shelter, |
| Genesis 18:16-33. | | | | protection and health. |
| It is way to communicate our feelings, our | | | | Some believe in the power of prayers. They |
| thoughts to God. For those who live with the | | | | profess a strong faith in the efficacy of prayer. |
| attitude of gratitude, it is through prayer that | | | | Those who pray know that there is no guarantee |
| they are able to express how thankful they are | | | | that their prayer will be answered exactly as they |
| for the blessings that come their way. Some pray | | | | ask. There is a higher wisdom who understands |
| to God, some pray to their special deities, some | | | | what we pray for and what we need. |
| thank Mother Earth. There are those who pray to | | | | Prayer does not confer the right to a sense of |
| Allah, to the Source, etc. Prayer keeps us | | | | entitlement. Many get discouraged when they feel |
| connected with a higher power whatever name | | | | their prayers are not answered. Have faith. Think |
| you address him/her. For the purpose of this | | | | of the instances in your life when you amazingly |
| article, I will refer to that someone as God. | | | | got out of an unpleasant or precarious situation. |
| Prayer is a way to calm a troubled soul, a | | | | You were " saved." Was that not a miracle? What |
| cluttered mind, a way to find some peace amid | | | | about the small surprises that come your way- |
| chaos. There are many who find solace in saying | | | | something you wished for and prayed for. |
| a fervent prayer in the midst of a calamity or | | | | Everyday, a little prayer is answered. |
| tragedy, personal or otherwise. Strangers pray | | | | Prayer is a meditative tool. In prayer, we are |
| for strangers, with a strong faith that someone | | | | absorbed in our own world. Prayer is a mantra. |
| higher is listening. With the advent of technology, | | | | Through it, we can go deep within in solitude. |
| there are many prayer groups who do exactly | | | | Prayer paves the way to connect with our |
| this- pray as a group for particular intentions on | | | | sub-conscious. Prayer leaves us with the feeling of |
| the internet. I have joined such groups and I | | | | calm and peace. Prayer represents something |
| believe in the strength of numbers. | | | | fulfilling, solemn and precious. |