The Power of a Humble Prayer

I often feel that a lot of my prayers were unanswered or took some time before they were answered by God. There are times that I think that my prayers are answered with the silence of Heaven. But maybe my prayers seem to fall on deaf ears because there is something wrong with the way I pray.

If we feel far away from God, guess who moved?

We.

God is love. God is generosity Himself. He exists to give Himself.

Aid is always available to those who want it.

If feel Divine Aid is not coming, could it be possible that I am not really sincerely asking for it?

Could it be that my prayers are still filled with pride and self-reliance?

Could it be that I am asking God’s help, yet at the back of my mind, I still believe I can do it on my own if God does not help? Do I still rely too much on myself and not to God?

I think when we ask God for assistance, we unconsciously ask God to be our Assistant. He is there for the assist and not to be the Problem Solver Himself. We want God to help us in our own terms, not on His. I think this is where the problem starts, when we think that our will is better than His.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” - Matthew 5:1-13

Why do the poor in spirit have the Kingdom? Because they sought it with all their hearts and it was given to them.

Those who seek shall find.

The poor in spirit are those people who know that they are helpless apart from God. Their very being relies on God. They know they cannot do anything in this world without God’s grace. They are beggars before God. And these beggars have always won God’s favor. Jesus healed a lot of beggars when He walked among us.

The poor in spirit are also those who have a child like trust in the Father. A child’s survival depends on their parents. Without any parent, the child will die. They have total reliance to their parents.

I think that is why God permits crisis in our lives. That it may draw us back to Him.

When we have reached rock bottom, lying on the ground and does not even have the strength to stand up that is when we realize the reality of our helplessness. It is when we cry out to God in these times that we really open ourselves to His Aid, to His Grace. When we cannot help ourselves, that’s when we find help from others. And God is the Great Other.

When we have tried everything we can do, and still things falls apart, that is when we really surrender to God. When we realize the futility of our plans and efforts that is when we really consider God’s plans for us.

Why do we have to wait for a crisis to learn to really pray and seek God’s help?

Because we are stubborn fools. We always want an easier way. We want to prove to ourselves we can do it without God. And we are always disproved in the end.

It is in times of helplessness can we really experience God’s Aid. His Love.

Why?

Because the more helpless we are, the more we empty ourselves of the pride of self-reliance. And now God has the opportunity to fill that emptiness with His love.

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” – Luke 1: 52-53