As Men Pray

The Needs of our lives are many—but they are perhaps not so many as we sometimes permit ourselves to suppose. Like the children we are, we are often inclined to pray for things think are essential to our happiness, but which, in fact, may have little to do with out happiness. As do some children, we sometimes want what we want regardless of the consequences to us and regardless of who else has to go without to give it to us. We are often inclined to pray for our own particular benefit, excluding thoughts of others, and to pray for things whether we deserve them or not. And sometimes what we pray for, others are also praying for; and it may be something that both cannot have. Thus, in a sense, we pray against each other—as in a contest when both we and our opponent pray to win, and both cannot win—at least not at the same thing. Men sometimes pray for favorable weather conditions, often forgetting that what is favorable to one man may be damaging to another. We pray earnestly at times, and rightly so from our point of view, for long continuing life for someone whose purpose in life may have been accomplished and who may have earned the right to move on to other scenes, and for whom, in the plans of Providence, death would be a blessed release. Thus, there is often much of confusion and counterpurpose in the prayers of men, such as only the wisdom and the patience of God can reconcile and bring to order and justice—and that He does and will continue to do so, we doubt not. It was Paul who wrote: “…for we know not what we should pray for as we ought…”8 which is true of many of us. There should be more in prayer than fervent desire. There should be also gratitude, trust, and, if necessary, resignation: “Thy will be done…” Unless we concede this, we set our wisdom against the wisdom of God, in which case a prayer may become as the coaxing or teasing of a child—as a demand insisted upon regardless of consequences. “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”9