Article May 30, 1983 Issue

Are your prayers answered?

WALTER CARTER BUTLER

Have you ever prayed fervently and persistently about some personal problem and drawn a blank? Many of us have. Then comes a testing time. Do we react with discouragement, resentment, or self-justification? Or do we remember these words of Mrs. Eddy's from the chapter "Prayer" in Science and Health: "There is some misapprehension of the source and means of all goodness and blessedness, or we should certainly receive that for which we ask"?^{Science and Health, p. 10.}

Is there a chart that will put us on the road to answered prayer? The Bible, as usual, furnishes a strong guideline. More than four hundred prophets of Baal shouted, danced, and prayed for hours to their false gods, but no answer came. Elijah, with absolute faith in the one infinite, all-powerful God, prayed to see spiritual power manifested as proof of the true God. His prayer was answered quickly and in a spectacular manner.^{See I Kings 18:17–39 .}

King Solomon was told by God to ask for a gift. He prayed for wisdom and knowledge so that he might judge righteously. His request was granted, and in addition he was given riches and honor.^{See II Chron. 1:7–12 .} Christ Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus and prayed the prayer of gratitude even before Lazarus appeared. He knew that life is eternal. His prayer showed his desire to dispel the unbelief of those who were witnesses.^{See John 11:41–44 .} Lazarus came forth.

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