What do you do when you realize prayer doesn’t work?

Last updated on: February 12, 2014 at 9:08 am by David Hayward

What do you do when you realize prayer doesn’t work? 2014-02-12T09:08:36-04:00 David Hayward

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.

“Say Something” (by nakedpastor)

(I drew a picture of a woman praying in the bathtub because from the women I know it’s one of the best places to cry alone. If you haven’t heard “Say Something” by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera, then you can experience it here. It’s one of those songs that makes me stop and listen and feel deeply.)

What do we do when you realize prayer no longer works?

Admit it: This is the first thing we have to do when we start suspecting that our prayers are no longer working. It’s one of the hardest things to admit. We have sly ways of getting around this hard truth that are just dressed up forms of denial: God’s ways aren’t our ways; or thank God for unanswered prayer; or you didn’t wait long enough; or you didn’t do it right. The fact is, you prayed for something you really needed and it didn’t work. This is like the thin end of the wedge because once you admit that then the whole concept of a benevolent god is challenged and the whole framework of your faith begins to erode. Scary and sad times!
Embrace it: Simply admitting that prayer doesn’t work isn’t enough. That is only the first step and if you stop there you could get stuck in a kind of spiritual depression. You have to actually embrace it. That is, you embrace the truth that prayer isn’t supposed to “work” like some machined magic trick. We come to the place where we humbly realize we cannot control the universe or bend it to our will. We humbly embrace the fact that there are no magic attitudes, words, postures, mental or verbal or religious gymnastics we can employ to get the universe to do what we want.
Deepen it: Again, admitting it then embracing it isn’t enough. This is only part way down the hole. I believe the world presents itself as a violent and adversarial place and constantly reminds us that life isn’t fair. But I also believe that there is a deeper current at work that is more silent and subversive but stronger, and that is compassion that reveals itself in justice. I think this is what the great people saw and worked with. They saw, beneath the terrible conditions that presented themselves, a necessary and urgent love that, when released and exercised, would manifest a better world for everyone. I believe their “prayers” were aligning themselves with the deeper compassionate purpose that resulted in loving action that changed the world to meet this deeper purpose.

My prayer life has dramatically changed over the years. When someone asks me if I pray, I don’t know whether to say never or always. This is intimately related to my view of God, so I treat this question with great caution and respect. Here’s my answer:

I no longer view “God” as up there, out there, in here, beyond or remote. For me, the story of the incarnation describes That Which We Call God, revealed in Jesus, then sent as Spirit, as now among us, in us, as us. All is “That-Which-We-Call-God”.
While aware of this overwhelming and overarching reality, I allow all of who I am to emerge… all my sorrows, my failures, my weaknesses, my wants, my joys, my passions, and desires, my longings… everything that I am… all of who and what I am… I allow this to rise within me into my awareness to join with the former awareness of the reality of #1 where these two awarenesses abide together.
Mostly these are silent movements, but if there are words or actions, they aren’t for a god but for me… to articulate and express all of who I am, to breathe these into the All that I am one with.
I am usually aware of this when I am outside alone. My hiding place. But it happens anywhere anytime, or everywhere all the time. In this way I pray without ceasing because I am all that I am in the All that always is.

I hope this helps some of you through one of the most difficult times in our spiritual journeys… realizing prayer doesn’t work. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

****

Did you appreciate this cartoon and my post? If so, maybe you’d like to donate $1, $3 or $5 to the nakedpastor site. Thanks so much!

Or for just $7/month you can support our online community, The Lasting Supper!

cartoons

teaching

atheism_cartoon

a_great_big_world_christina_aquilera_say_something_cartoon

david_hayward

nakedpastor

prayer_doesn't_work_cartoon

say_something_song_drawing

Previous Post

February 11, 2014

how some churches manage the accusation of abuse

Next Post

February 13, 2014 Did the church chew you up and spit you out?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category art cartoons cartoons 2 freebie music one minute message podcast Sophia teaching technology thought

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who is considered the ideal wife and mother in Proverbs?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mary Magdalene Eve Martha The Proverbs 31 woman