Meditation on Prayer

Ever since reading the article about the sexual abuse of women in the Congo (see my post "Turning Away"), I have been thinking a lot about prayer.

God does not always call upon us to "fix" things. This is a hard concept for me to accept, or understand, because I very much want to fix things. But I can't, most of the time. Damaged relationships, hurt souls, physical illnesses, and the work of evil in the world--all these are (so frustratingly) beyond my ability to really, deeply, change.

And so I pray.

Sometimes I am dissatisfied with prayer when it comes to apparently impossible situations such as the Congolese nightmare, or the Middle Eastern conflict. After all, too often prayer looks uncommonly like doing nothing at all! Except perhaps talking to oneself--or the ceiling. And what on earth is the good of that?

But now I am starting to think of prayer a little bit like clearing the brush and debris off of a much-damaged, or perhaps entirely hidden, pathway. A pathway to where? I don't know--but I suspect, back to God. Unfortunately, along that path are many dangers, obstacles, and yes, battles. And so prayer is also a way of preparing our souls for the challenges and forces that oppose us, and others, on that road.

Prayer does not and cannot preclude action, or cancel it out, but paves the way to it. Prayer must precede action--whether that action comes through me or others, is for God to decide. But in praying, I make myself available should God call upon me to act. I make myself ready, and willing.

(Some will say, "So is it better to pray, or to act?" The answer, I think, is yes.)

I am learning (very slowly, but learning nonetheless!) that through consistent prayer, lasting change can be effected deep within me, so that God can better work through me for the benefit of others.

And to that I say, "Amen."