What to pray...

Anonymous

I found this to be so true. When I prayed after bc I didn't know what to ask for. All I could think of was to give me the strength to deal with this.
Shirley

From the Cancer Crusade.

Quote:

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When you cannot pray as you would,
pray as you can.
Dean M. Goulburn

My friend had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Understandably, her first reaction was shock followed closely by terror and all that entails: sleeplessness, anxiety,
depression and anger.

What bothered her most, however, was that for the first time in her life, she was unable to pray.

“I don’t know what to say,” she confided. “I don’t know what to ask for. I can’t find the words."

I assured her she was not alone. I had also found it difficult to pray when I was first diagnosed with cancer. My biggest problem was anger. I was mad at God. He had allowed this awful thing
to happen to me, and I didn’t want
to talk to Him anymore!

But as the shock and terror slowly wore off and I entered into my year-long cancer journey filled with multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments, my anger ebbed, too.

I realized that God had not given me cancer. A misfire at the cellular level had given me cancer. A bad gene, maybe. Pesticide exposure, perhaps. Whatever had caused it, it wasn’t God.
It was biology run amok.

God was right where He had always been, waiting patiently for me to come to Him and lay my burdens at His feet. He knew my fears better than anyone, and He wanted to strengthen and encourage me. All I had to do was
come into His presence and ask.

He also knew that I couldn’t find the words to ask for what I needed. I wasn’t even sure what I needed, so how could I pray?

It was then that He reminded my of the simple bedtime prayer I had prayed as a child. “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake,
I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take.”

He also reminded me of the Lord’s prayer:
“Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.”

I realized that my prayers didn’t need to be original to be heard. In fact, God has given us many prayers that we need only to read or recall according to our own faith traditions.

Sometimes I just said, “God, I am so scared and so tired that I don’t even know how to pray anymore.” Then I would sit quietly and wait. Invariably, God spoke to me through my heart. He reminded me that prayer is a two-way street and that sometimes all we have to do is be quiet and listen. Let Him do the talking!
Listening is prayer, too.

God is there even in – maybe especially in – the silence when we are still and quiet.


God, help me to remember that prayer is a conversation with You and that sometimes all I need to do is listen. Remind me that, even when I’m silenced by terror and can find no words at all, You can hear what is in my heart. Amen

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bonny1963

That is beautiful. Thank you. God is getting me through this battle. He is definitely taking care of the worry part. He is so AWESOME and I am proud to proclaim myself as a Christian.
Bonny

sugar2u

Thanks for answering a question that I had been embarrassed to ask. The first time I started to pray I got a lump in my throat and couldn't get any words out. Just wanted to cry. Gradually God has helped me to talk to him privately about my fears so that when it is time for family prayer I am able to focus to pray for others and our daily needs and to thank him continuously for all he has done so far.

I think he even led me to this post to ease the guilt I was feeling for feeling so sorry for myself. I have had to be strong in front of everyone in my family to keep them up and it is hard not to just let it all go sometimes. God bless you all.

Sue R.

PuppyFive

(((( SHIRLEY )))) Our God, has also given You Wisdom, to give Us the Strength to Go ON!!!! BLESS YOU!!!! debbyfive