Article January 20, 1992 Issue

Prayer: watching and working

Discovering what prayer really is—and staying with it—actually changes us, and our lives.

Nancy L. Robison

The Bible admonishes us to "pray without ceasing." Without ceasing! To me that means continually, persistently. That may sound like more praying than we think we want to do. But steadfast prayer is rewarding and fulfilling.

Prayer should not be a strenuous activity of willing something to happen, nor is it pleading with a higher power for things to "go our way." Rather, prayer involves turning to God, omnipotent good, with a deep desire to let His will be done. It is forgetting self—that is, turning away from a fearful, self-centered sense of life apart from God—and acknowledging God as the Father and Mother of the universe, who loves and cares for man, whom He created in His image. Prayer is understanding God to be what the Bible says He is—Life, Truth, Love, Spirit. Prayer also involves seeing ourselves and others as the children of God. This requires us to lift our thought above the appearance of man as a mortal, full of imperfections, into the understanding of man's true, perfect identity as the spiritual expression of God.

Prayer, together with watching our thoughts to be sure they are God-directed rather than selfish or materialistic, is an ongoing process. It's work! In the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy devotes an entire chapter to the subject of prayer. She writes, "Prayer, watching, and working, combined with self-immolation, are God's gracious means for accomplishing whatever has been successfully done for the Christianization and health of mankind."

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
"There was a time when the church was very powerful—...
January 20, 1992
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit