Wishful Thinking vs. Prayer

Last updated on: December 23, 2014 at 6:44 pm by willduquette

Wishful Thinking vs. Prayer 2014-12-23T18:44:08-05:00 willduquette

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It occurred to me after finishing this post that perhaps the individuals in question believe that affirmations actually change objective reality, as opposed to one’s attitude. It seems that there are people who believe this.

In my view, though, this is to confuse wishful thinking with prayer. Prayer—I’m speaking particularly of prayer of supplication—isn’t simply a matter of warm positive thoughts, prayed with intensity, as though I can will something to happen without taking concrete action. Prayer is matter of asking another person for help, and especially a person in a position to take the concrete action required. When I ask Jane to pick something up at the store for me, there’s a sense in which I’m praying her to do that. And when I ask God to bless someone, or to help them through some trial, or to help me through some trial, I’m not simply wishing that outcome; I’m asking someone in a position to do something. According to Catholic theology, God is the creator of everything other than Himself, the first cause and final end of everything that is, and the one who keeps the whole shebang running. It’s His universe; we just live in it. And we have reason to believe, because of Christ’s death and resurrection for our sake, that He loves us and cares about what happens to us.

And of course, just because I want something desperately and pray for it steadfastly, I won’t necessarily get it; any more than my mother would have let me play with the hot iron when I was a toddler.

Wishful thinking, on the other hand, might change your attitude; but it can’t change what is.

Previous Post

January 10, 2014

One Piece at a Time

Next Post

January 11, 2014 My Life with the Lord of the Rings

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Admin App o' the Morning Ask the Dogmat Believing Thomas Bits of Fiction Blasts from the Past Bootstrapping the Interior Life Catholic Mom Christian Living Deep Thoughts from the Doghouse Dominicana Evangelii Gaudium Interviews It Was A Dark and Stormy Night Links to This and That Lumen Fidei Meme Watch On Writing Operation Gratitude Pedant Errant Photography Quill Random Barkings S'Mary's World Shakers of Salt Software Development The Dog Whistler The Dogmat Sez Third Orders Thomas Aquinas Uncategorized Vikings at Dinos Woof Guide to Cinema Woof Guide to History Woof Guide to Literature Woof Guide to Obscure Catholic Music Woof Guide to Philosophy Woof Guide to Popular Music Woof Guide to Technology Woof Guide to Theology Words I Wish I'd Written Works For Me

Select a Month September 2016 August 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was Jacob's favorite son?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Dan Joseph Levi Judah