What is the best form of prayer? Should we approach our divine Source through reciting rote prayers, appeasing, bargaining or begging God for mercy? If not, is there a method of praying in which we are always assured of an answer? In other words, is there a right way to pray? Here, in this excerpt from the chapter entitled What about Prayer? is an approach to God often used in New Thought, in which we are assured of peace in times of turmoil, comfort in our darkest hours and fulfillment of our souls’ sincere desires: In the New Thought teachings, we do not subscribe to a harsh concept of the Deity; nor do we view prayer as an empty mechanical ritual or an exercise in religious gymnastics designed to sway an unforgiving God. Jesus stated his specific opposition to this type of prayer in his stern warning against “uttering vain repetitions as the heathen do” (Matt.6:7). He explained that if the answers to our prayers are not received it is not because of any unwillingness on God’s part. Rather, it is because in some way we have not fulfilled the conditions for answered prayer. If we do not receive it is “because [we] ask amiss”(James 4:3). Certainly, begging for Divine favor is asking amiss. The chapter continues: We learn that the highest form of prayer is not to beseech a remote external Divinity for answers to our needs or resolution of our problems, (which is in essence an expression of the mistaken belief that we are separated from our spiritual Source) but rather to turn within to our inner sanctuary, described in Psalm 91:1 as “the secret place of the Most High,” and to abide in this interior place, therein to know our Oneness with our Divine Source. Dwelling in this awareness, we come to know consciously that there is only One Presence and One Power, and that we live and move and have our being in it. This is what Jesus meant when he said “Men ought always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). As we bring our thoughts into harmonious alignment with Universal Mind, sometimes called the Christ-Mind, we begin to know the peace that Jesus spoke about, “the peace that passeth all understanding”(Phil. 4:7) and every aspect of life becomes ordered. May Rowland, the long-time director of Unity’s prayer ministry, expresses it thusly in her spiritual treatment entitled “Come Ye Apart Awhile”: “Through prayer, we put into action those higher laws which are innate in every man and each one of us becomes the conquering man.” Through daily prayer we become acquainted with the source of spiritual strength and the tremendous reserves of power that lie dormant within us are quickened into activity, with results becoming tangible in every area of our lives. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Principles of New Thought is available in both paperback and e-versions from amazon, barnesandnoble and directly from the publisher, devorss
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 22:19:08 +0000
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