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slavegirljoy -> RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? (7/31/2007 10:55:10 PM)
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TB, earthquakes, Muscular Dystrophy, and birth defects, as well as every communicable and noncommunicable disease, volcano eruptions, drought, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters have many causes. People often refer to natural disasters as “acts of God”, but never give any “credit” to God for the years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather. Natural disasters are a result of natural laws at work. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornadoes are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake. Unhealthy diets, alcohol and drug abuse, smoking, reckless behavior, poor hygiene, unsanitary and unsafe food handling, all contribute to illness and injury and are preventable and controlled by the will of each individual. Disasters, tragedies, unfortunate events don't have to be viewed in negative terms. Tragedy often leads people to reevaluate their priorities in life and make positive changes in how they are living. During natural and man-made disasters, there is an outpouring of humanitarian aid and hundreds of millions of dollars is sent to help the people that are suffering. God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28). “Every adversity carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit.”
--Napoleon Hill (American Founder of Personal Success Literature, 1883-1970) I prayed for strength
and God gave me difficulties to make me strong
I prayed for wisdom
and God gave me problems to solve
I prayed for prosperity
and God gave me brawn and brain to work
I prayed for courage
and God gave me dangers and obstacles to overcome
I prayed for patience
and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait
I prayed for love
and God gave me troubled people who I could help.
I prayed for favors
and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted
and I received everything I needed.
My prayers have been answered.
- Unknown Author - Many people have been shining examples in how to turn a tragedy into a positive experience. People such as Ryan White, Herman the Cripple, Nick Vujicic, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Rabbi Harold Kushner, have all endured horrible misfortunes and, instead of being bitter and angry and mad at God for "giving" them their troubles, they used their tragedy to make their lives more meaningful and to help others. Remember Ryan White? Ryan, born December 6, 1971, was born with hemophilia and, in the mid 1980's, contracted HIV from infected blood products he received to treat the condition. He was expelled from Kokomo, Indiana school out of fear that he was a health risk to other students. He and his family fought the school board in an effort to allow him to attend public school. Ryan, an average heterosexual white middle class boy, helped make people aware that AIDS was not a "gay disease" and the public became more understanding and sympathetic to the fight against AIDS/HIV and encouraged the funding for research for a cure. Before his death on April 8, 1990, Ryan worked to educate people on the nature of HIV and AIDS, and that it was not a disease that could be transmitted by casual contact. In late 1990, the US Congress passed the Ryan White Care Act which provides HIV funding for care, education and prevention. Herman of Reichenau, known as Herman the Cripple, born 18 February 1013 at Altshausen, Swabia (in modern Germany), was born with a cleft palate, cerebral palsy, and spina bifida to a farm family. His parents were unable to care for the child, and in 1020, at age seven, he was sent to the abbey of Reichenau, where he spent the rest of his life. He became a Benedictine monk at age twenty. A genius, he studied and wrote on astronomy, theology, math, history, poetry, Arabic, Greek, and Latin. Built musical instruments, and astronomical equipment. Eventually he went blind, and had to give up his academic writing. Before his death on 21 September 1054 at Reichenau abbey of natural causes, Herman was the most famous religious poet of his day and author. He was canonized in 1863. Nick Vujicic, the first born child to devout Christian parents in Brisbane Australia, was born limbless, missing both arms at shoulder level, and having one small foot with two toes protruding from his left thigh. Nick was otherwise perfectly healthy. His life was filled with difficulties and hardships. Australia law wouldn't allow Nick to attend a mainstream school because of his physical disability. His mother fought to get the law changed and Nick was one of the first disabled students to be migrated to a mainstream school. Nick prayed to God that he could grow arms and legs, so that he could live a normal life. He became so depressed that he considered suicide. But then, he stumbled upon John Chapter 9, where Jesus was asked by a few in the crowd the reason for a blind man’s situation. Jesus answered, “He was born this way so that the glory of God can be revealed through him.” Nick got his answer. God had said “No” to Nick’s request. But Nick knew it was for the better. Nick stopped dwelling on his problems for he realized that God was mightier than his problems and knew that God had a purpose for Nick's life, with his handicap. Nick completed his Bachelors degree, started a non-profit organization, Life Without Limbs, gives motivational speeches all over the world, and is preparing to publish first book, planned for completion by the end of 2007, to be called 'No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!'. Joni Eareckson Tada, in 1967, at age 17, had a diving accident and was paralyzed, becoming a quadriplegic, unable to use her hands. During two years of rehabilitation, she learned how to paint with a brush between her teeth. Her high detail fine art paintings and prints are sought after and collected. Joni is the founder of Joni and Friends International Disability Center. Joni uses her gifts of ministry, music, art, and writing to reach others with disabilities and to train churches in disability programs. Her organization has, among other things, collected over 34,000 wheelchairs nationwide, refurbished by inmates in 17 correctional facilities, and then shipped and donated to developing nations where, whenever possible, physical therapists fit each chair to a needy disabled child or adult.
Harold S. Kushner, a rabbi, was devastated by the suffering and subsequent death of his son Aaron from a premature aging disease. In 1981, he wrote this book, "When Bad Things Happen to Good People". He writes, "For me, the earthquake is not an 'act of God.' The act of God is the courage of people to rebuild their lives after the earthquake, and the rush of others to help them in whatever way they can." [page 59-60] "People who pray for miracles usually don't get miracles. … But people who pray for courage, for strength to bear the unbearable, for the grace to remember what they have left instead of what they have lost, very often find their prayers answered." [page 125] "The God I believe in doesn't send us the problem; He gives us the strength to cope with the problem." [page 127] Having a positive attitude, such as these people, makes it possible to turn obstacles into opportunities and makes us stronger because of our struggle. We don't even know what strength we have until we are faced with hardship. Hardships and struggles can be exactly what we need in our lives. There's a Chinese story of an old man and his only son. One night the old man's horse escaped, and the neighbors came to comfort him in his loss. "How do you know this is a bad thing?" he asked them.
Several days later his horse returned with a herd of wild horses. Now his friends came to congratulate the farmer for his good fortune. But the old man said, "How do you know this is a good thing?"
While his son was trying to tame one of the wild horses, he was thrown and broke his leg. Again his friends gathered to bemoan his new misfortune. But the old man asked, "How do you know this is a bad thing?"
Soon a warlord came to recruit able-bodied youth for his army, and the farmer's son escaped conscription because of his broken leg. In true fashion, the farmer's neighbors came and expressed their pleasure over the man's good luck. "How do you know it's a good thing?" he asked. The story can go on forever. A Prayer for AllLord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light; and
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive---
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
-- St. Francis of Assisi 1181-1226 Does prayer work? It does for me. The way i pray is to ask for guidance and then listen patiently and quietly for the answer. Telling a Higher Power what you want Him to do is not likely to be well recieved. slave joyOwned property of Master David
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ORIGINAL: Lordandmaster
That is, except when he's giving us tuberculosis and earthquakes and muscular dystrophy and maybe a pleasant birth defect or two...
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ORIGINAL: NControlofU
It doesn't hurt! I'll take as many prayers as people want to offer me, thank you. But I also never forget that God doesn't give us what we think we want. He gives us what He knows we need.
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