S E C T I O N A : O u r S e a r c h f o r M e a ni n g a n d B el o n gi n g
Of c o u r s e, p r a y e r i s n ot al w a y s e a s y. Oft e n, w e t u r n t o p r a y e r w h e n w e w a nt s o m et hi n g o r a r e f a c e d wit h a c ri si s. F o r e x a m pl e: • • • •
G o d, pl e a s e c u r e m e of t hi s ill n e s s! G o d, pl e a s e l et m e p a s s t hi s e x a m! G o d, pl e a s e h el p m e t o g et t hi s j o b! G o d, pl e a s e l et m e w i n t h e l ott e r y!
W e a s k f o r s u c h t hi n g s i n t h e h o p e t h at G o d will
a n s w e r o u r p r a y e r s. H o w e v e r, s o m eti m e s o u r p r a y e r s a r e n o t a n s w e r e d. Oft e n t hi s l e a d s u s t o a s k: D o e s G o d r e all y e xi st ? I s t h e r e a n y o n e t h e r e t o h e a r a n d r e s p o n d t o m y p r a y e r s ? W h y d o e s G o d r ef u s e t o a n s w e r m e ? I s it b e c a u s e G o d i s n ot i nt e r e st e d i n w h at h a p p e n s t o m e ?
J u d ai s m, C h ri sti a nit y a n d I sl a m t e a c h t h at: • • •
G o d d o e s e xi st.
G o d l o v e s a n d c a r e s f o r e a c h a n d e v e r y o n e of u s. G o d o nl y w a nt s w h at i s b e st f o r u s.
W rit e r s s u c h a s T e r e s a of A vil a a n d C. S. L e wi s t h o u g ht l o n g a n d h a r d a b o ut t h e p u r p o s e of p r a y e r. T h e y off e r u s t hi s a d vi c e: N ot all t h e t hi n g s y o u p r a y f o r a r e n e c e s s a ril y g o o d f o r y o u. Y o u s h o ul d n ot e x p e ct G o d t o gi v e y o u s o m et hi n g t h at w o ul d n ot b e i n y o u r b e st i nt e r e st. G o d h a s gi v e n y o u t h e gift of f r e e d o m, y o u c a n m a k e y o u r o w n c h oi c e s.
Pr a y er a n d fr e e d o m
B ei n g f r e e t o c h o o s e w h at y o u d o h a s t h e f oll o wi n g c o n s e q u e n c e s: •
Y o u m u s t pl a y y o u r o w n p a r t i n b ri n gi n g a b o u t t h e t hi n g s y o u w a n t. T hi n k a b o ut t hi s: if y o u b e c a m e s e ri o u sl y ill, y o u mi g ht p r a y t o b e h e al e d o r t o g et t h e st r e n gt h t o e n d u r e t h e p ai n a n d t h e w o r r y it c a u s e s. H o w e v e r, y o u s h o ul d still g o t o t h e d o ct o r a n d f oll o w a n y m e di c al a d vi c e gi v e n. Y o u mi g ht p r a y t o G o d, b ut y o u s h o ul d al s o c o o p e r at e f ull y wit h t h o s e t r yi n g t o t r e at y o u r ill n e s s.
•
Y o u c a n n o t e x p e c t G o d t o s t o p y o u f r o m a c ti n g o n t h e c h oi c e s y o u m a k e, e v e n if y o u mi g h t c a u s e h a r m t o y o u r s elf o r t o o t h e r s. T hi n k a b o ut t hi s: y o u w o ul d b e a s ki n g G o d t o t a k e a w a y y o u r f r e e d o m. G o d will n ot d o t hi s. W h y ? B e c a u s e y o u c a n n ot li v e o w n c h oi c e s.
a h u m a n lif e u nl e s s y o u a r e f r e e t o m a k e y o u r • Y o u c a n n o t e x p e c t G o d t o p r o t e c t y o u f r o m t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s of y o u r
a c ti o n s. T hi n k a b o ut t hi s: y o u w o ul d b e a s ki n g G o d t o c h a n g e all t h e p h y si c al l a w s of t h e u ni v e r s e. It w o ul d m e a n a s ki n g G o d t o i nt e r v e n e c o n st a ntl y i n y o u r lif e. Y o u c o ul d n e v e r h a v e a n a c ci d e nt, n o m att e r h o w r e c kl e s sl y y o u b e h a v e d, b e c a u s e G o d w o ul d al w a y s st e p i n a n d p r e v e nt it. T hi s w o ul d m e a n t h at y o u
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