Receiving Answers to our Prayers-Part 1 A Problem with Experts?
Before reading on I suggest you read Gene R. Cook’s Challenge , Nov 11, 2007 blog.To start a discussion on prayer I feel it is important to underscore a fact that we experience everyday. People differ in their abilities. To illustrate this consider two disparate activities; running a 5K race and taking an algebra class. Suppose there are 100 people participating in each endeavor. What would you expect to happen as the race and the math class progressed? Based on my experience, I would expect there would be a range of abilities manifest in both efforts; fast and slow runners, fast and slow students-with the majority being average.
I think it is safe to say that the same is true when it comes to our abilities to receive answers to prayer[1]. The point I want to make is that even though we may be at different places in our abilities to receive answers to prayer, it is important to understand that we all have access to our Heavenly Father. We are promised that our prayers will be answered, but how, and when, they are answered can vary[2].
If you buy into the idea that our individual ability to receive answers to prayers varies from person to person, and that we can start from wherever we’re at and grow in this important talent, then the question becomes-”What can I do today to improve my ability to receive answers to my prayers?
One answer to this question is, “If you’re not happy with your ability to receive answers to your prayers, then you know if you keep doing the same thing, you will keep getting the same results-something needs to change to get better results”.
Another answer comes as a question, “Do you believe Heavenly Father is interested in helping you improve in your ability to receive answers to prayer?”
How we answer this question is important. Based on my experience, Heavenly Father is interested in helping each of us to learn to pray more effectively. Prayer is an essential spiritual talent that needs to be acquired in our quest to gain eternal life. I think most church members would answer yes to this question, however, I’m surprised at how many hesitate believing that the Lord will help them now, individually. Well, maybe their just being modest, one might suggest? I used to think that. I don’t feel that way now, in my opinion it really is an expression that exposes a lack of desire and faith-two deadly enemies for those seeking to have the channels of communication open to heaven. Its interesting how we answer yes to a question like the one above, when it applies to a group, but then hedge our answer when it is put to us individually-an odd double standard.
If you have the desire and faith to take Gene R. Cook’s Challenge , click to go there now. If you’re not interested-please continue reading.
If you decided not to take Elder Cook’s challenge I think you’re in good company. In my opinion many church members won’t be willing to take his challenge.
I have a theory I’d like to present, and would be interested in your response.
We live in prosperous times. It seems that for any need or problem we may be experiencing there is an “expert” available. If we’re sick, medical experts are available and they can do wonders to help. If we need money, experts in financial matters can be found. If we have problems in our relationships there are expert counselors with solutions that are helpful. We have an abundance of resources available to us, and as a result it is easy to slide into the habit of relying on the experts and say a quick prayer acknowledging the prosperous times we live in, or we might buy into the idea that, “God helps those who help themselves” and thank God that we’re able to handle our own problems. However, both of these approaches can deny us and our family of faith building spiritual experiences. This happens because we trust in the arm of flesh and by so doing we consign ourselves to mini-blessing compared to the greater blessings that might have been ours (Helaman 12:2).
I’m not suggesting we should avoid experts that would be unwise and show ingratitude to Heavenly Father who has blessed us with the prosperous time we live in. Forgetting the Lord, however, is the ubiquitous sin the prosperous are tempted with. Those afflicted with this veil thickening lack of attitude-of-gratitude can soon find themselves without the spirit.
In my estimation we need to be finding ways to combat the sin of the prosperous. That’s why Gene R. Cook’s challenge can be useful.
To summarize: prosperous times can produce anemic faith unless we’re diligently seeking the Holy Ghost. Elders Cook’s challenge is one way to focus our attention on growing in our ability to receiving answers to our prayers. Come on, take a chance and exercise your faith by taking Gene R. Cook’s Challenge .
Receiving Answers to our Prayers-Part 2, coming soon
[1] The reason why we are different when it comes to the things of the spirit may be found, in part, in the following overview of some things we know about our pre-mortal life:
1. Before we were born into mortality we lived in a pre-mortal world of spirits. The scripture teach that Christ was the first-born of God’s spirit children. Therefore, we are different in our birth order. Some spirits are older and have more experience.
2. There we had the opportunity to learn and grow in many different fields of inquiry. We’re taught that what talents we developed there come with us into mortality.
3. At some point in our experience in the pre-mortal world good and evil were manifest to us. We had a choice to follow Jesus Christ or Lucifer and we displayed varying degrees of faithfulness in this “war”.
[2] …the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers…D&C 101:7
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