Sometimes we feel that when we pray, He isn’t listening, that He’s too busy with other people, or that it just doesn’t make a difference. Sadly, it is easy to fall into this trap of convincing ourselves that prayer is not necessary to our daily lives, but we must realize that these lies that “He is not listening to us, that He is absent, or that He is too busy for you” are all complete LIES that satan tries to convince you are the truth. Alone, I cannot force you to want to pray because, let’s be honest, we never do things because we are forced to, we do them because we desire to do it and our hearts are drawn to it. However, I can speak from experience in the hopes that you will see the beauty and freedom that can be found in prayer. Three years ago, I was incredibly insecure about who I was, and I often felt like life was some distant dream instead of a present reality. Although I knew there was a God, I never leaned on my faith; I only prayed when I asked Him for things when I was desperate. I constantly was upset with God because I wanted friends that would fill the ache of loneliness I often felt, few times I even yelled at God out of frustration. Then, God nudged me with gentle whispers in my heart, urging me to go on a mission trip with my parish. To say the least, during that week, my pessimism turned into optimism, sadness into joy, loneliness into togetherness, doubt into unrelenting faith, and self pity into humility and character. God unveiled the true beauty of the reality of life to me because, for the first time, I opened my heart to His abounding love and wondrous possibilities during that mission trip. I invited Him into my heart and asked Him to make me new, and I was honest with Him for the first time in years. He knew my heart, but He is a gentle God, He will not force His way into your heart. He wants you to open your heart to Him so that He may speak life and love into you. He is a good and loving Father, and a loving Father does not force you to love Him, but allows you to freely choose Him because you, yourself, want to love Him. After that week, I have met so many beautiful people and have gained too many friendships to count. He answered my prayers for fellowship and love. Although He didn’t answer my prayers in the way my freshman self expected and although He did not answer me immediately, He is God and I am not, He answered in His time and in His beautiful way; and I am so thankful that He is in control. For His thoughts are higher and His ways are greater, and He is a good and faithful God. Truthfully, when I have an active prayer life, I am more joyful, loving, filled with life, and more myself than when I am not praying because when we are praying we are in His presence and we are doused in His love. When we are praying, we are drawing ourselves closer to our Creator, to the One who knows our hearts, and to the One who will sustain us and shape us into our best selves. He will answer your prayers, I promise you, because if He didn’t answer prayers, I would not be writing to you. I encourage you to pray and be open and honest with Jesus Christ, who is so radically in love with you and just wants to hear you speak to Him. My dear brothers and sisters, it is in praying to Him that we form a relationship with our Lord and come to know ourselves better. My life is infinitely more full because of prayer, and I know that because when I am not praying, I am stressed and anxious and easily frustrated. However, when I dive into His love and sit in silence in prayer waiting for Him to speak to me, I am more at peace in life and better able to handle the obstacles life puts in my path. I am not saying that once you begin prayer that your life will be perfect, because perfection is unattainable. However, through prayer to God, we strengthen our spiritual muscles and build up the courage and humility needed to live a life grounded in morality and truth. Always remember, my brothers and sisters, He is a good and faithful God, and He will never abandon you. The answer to your prayer may be yes but be patient or no or this path is better. He may not always give you what you want, but He will consistently give you what you need :)) May the Lord God Almighty bless you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! :) Mark 11:24 Never cease praying!
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AuthorYour confirmation teachers - Kathleen, Eric, Sophia, and Valerie, and with contributions from 410 alumni Archives
September 2021
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