I would love to be someone who has the capacity to practice wild and uninhibited faith. I envy those who declare that their faith is so strong that they “know” God will hear their prayers and intercede where requested.
I don’t have that kind of faith.
I do have faith though. I have a faith that at a very high level exists with a complete absence of doubt.
But –
When it comes to praying for intercession in our day to day lives I struggle.
Yet I do it. I do it despite my struggles. I do it because of my struggles.
I do it because I believe that prayer is not only productive, valuable and important – but vital!
I just don’t do it often enough. I certainly don’t do it publicly often enough.
Why is that?
I think that oftentimes I get hung up with expectations. I don’t feel that it’s right for me to have any expectations regarding the outcome of prayer. It’s hard because I also believe that it’s necessary to be specific in praying for outcomes.
There is of course some paradox there. Pray for what you want but don’t expect anything specific as an outcome. Really? That doesn’t seem logical. If I don’t expect to see the specific outcome, why pray for it?
I think I’m beginning to figure out the why.
Identifying the expected outcome is an expression of hope. Expressing my hope – especially in some kind of public forum – exposes my vulnerability. Exposing my vulnerability is a form of confession. Confession removes my arrogance from the picture and opens my soul to spiritual relationship.
Spiritual relationship with God.
Spiritual relationship with other souls.
When I confess my vulnerability, and acknowledge that I want and need the spiritual relationship and love of others through their prayer on my behalf, I complete the circuit that allows the outcome to be possible.
Embracing my vulnerability helps me to find balance in my spirit life. It helps me to see through spirit first. When I have balance and I’m seeing life through spirit I begin to see with new eyes and I’m suddenly able to see the many various and wonderful ways that spiritual connection with God and with others is possible.
I thank all of you who read and responded to yesterday’s post. The merging of our collective conscious energy (prayer) resulted in immediate and significant relief. When we do this act of prayer together, with intention and purpose, humbling ourselves while at the same time acknowledging the source of God’s unending power, anything is possible!
the Verity Paradox 