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We go about our lives thinking that we are in charge, but the world can change our plans in an instant. How often do we feel stress or fear, and work ourselves into a frantic state? So many of us ask God to help us only when we are at the end of our rope. We say, “God, why me? God, please help.” Even those who aren’t faithful will ask God for help in moments of deep pain. And we know God will answer all of us because Jesus told us, “Ask and you will receive.”
More than praying when we are in pain or fear, God wants us to have a conversation with Him, and praying to God is to open up space in our hearts for a continuous dialogue. He’s instructing us through Scripture to ask Him for what we want, and He will give us much more than we ask for. As much as a parent of a teenager wants to have a running dialogue with their teen to talk about their hopes and dreams (or really anything the teenager will spend more than one minute talking about), God wants us to have this dialogue with Him. But how often does a teenager want to spend the time to sit and talk with their parents? They are busy and frustrated with their parents and dismiss the opportunity to open up. They cannot comprehend the value that their parent’s wisdom might have in their lives, nor can we comprehend God’s wisdom in our lives.
We might say, “I don’t need to pray and ask for anything because God knows what I’m thinking,” but we need to put it to our lips and ask. Most people don’t talk to God until they’re brought to their knees because something major is happening in their life. If we can take the time for prayer each day to create a conversation with God, we will learn to ask for everything, large and small. Then, looking back upon our path, we might even come to see the guidance that God has given.
God doesn’t give us everything we ask for, but in truth, that is a blessing. You wouldn’t give a toddler everything they ask for because you have more experience, and you can see beyond their desires to what they really need. Similarly, God knows what is best for us. He wants us to ask, and He wants to give back to us something better than anything we could ever comprehend.
Vivimos pensando que tenemos el control, pero el mundo puede cambiar nuestros planes en un instante. ¿Con qué frecuencia sentimos estrés o miedo y nos dejamos llevar por un estado de agitación frenética? Muchos de nosotros solo pedimos ayuda a Dios cuando ya no podemos más. Decimos: “Dios, ¿por qué yo? Dios, por favor, ayúdame”. Incluso quienes no son creyentes piden ayuda a Dios en momentos de profundo dolor. Y sabemos que Dios nos responderá a todos, porque Jesús nos dijo: “Pidan y se les dará”.
Más allá de orar cuando sentimos dolor o miedo, Dios quiere que conversemos con Él; orar a Dios significa abrir un espacio en nuestro corazón para un diálogo continuo. A través de las Escrituras, Él nos invita a pedirle lo que deseamos, y nos dará mucho más de lo que pedimos. Así como el padre de un adolescente desea mantener un diálogo fluido con su hijo para hablar de sus esperanzas y sueños (o, en realidad, de cualquier cosa sobre la que el joven quiera hablar más de un minuto), Dios quiere que tengamos ese mismo diálogo con Él. Pero ¿con qué frecuencia quiere un adolescente dedicar tiempo a sentarse y hablar con sus padres? Están ocupados, se sienten frustrados con ellos y dejan pasar la oportunidad de abrirse. No logran comprender el valor que la sabiduría de sus padres podría tener en sus vidas, del mismo modo que nosotros no logramos comprender la sabiduría de Dios en la nuestra.
Podríamos decir: “No necesito orar ni pedir nada porque Dios sabe lo que pienso”, pero es necesario expresarlo con palabras y pedirselo. La mayoría de las personas no hablan con Dios hasta que se ven obligadas a ponerse de rodillas debido a algún acontecimiento importante en sus vidas. Si dedicamos tiempo cada día a la oración para entablar una conversación con Dios, aprenderemos a pedirlo todo, tanto lo grande como lo pequeño. Entonces, al mirar atrás y contemplar nuestro camino, tal vez lleguemos a ver la guía que Dios nos ha brindado.
Dios no nos concede todo lo que pedimos, pero, en realidad, eso es una bendición. Uno no le da a un niño pequeño todo lo que pide porque tiene más experiencia y puede ver más allá de sus deseos, percibiendo lo que realmente necesita. Del mismo modo, Dios sabe qué es lo mejor para nosotros. Él quiere que pidamos, y desea darnos algo mejor que cualquier cosa que pudiéramos llegar a comprender.
Anita L Renaghan is the author of several books including literary fiction, science fiction, and a young adult trilogy. She loves a good character study and has been many characters herself including: an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force, a college graduate, a second degree blackbelt, lost, a waitress and bartender, a wife and mother, an account executive, found, and a constantly inventive singer-songwriter. Anita is interested in sharing her faith with others through her writings and story characters. Her website is anitarenaghan.com
Feature Image Credit: Manoranjan Behera, pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-open-hands-in-black-and-white-34527211/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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