Article April 26, 1999 Issue

PRAY FIRST? BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME

Thomas Richard Mitchinson

I was in college, and one night I had many assignments to do, but one was giving me problems. It was a project for a creative writing class. And it wasn't just this particular assignment—I was having trouble with the whole class. Sitting in my room, struggling with words, I thought, "Why don't you pray about this first?" I responded to myself, "I have so much to do, I don't have time to pray."

The thought was persistent, and my writing efforts were getting nowhere, so I took time to pray. I acknowledged the ever-presence of God. I expressed gratitude to Him for His nearness and love. I recognized His nature as divine Mind and my identity as the creation of this Mind, expressing wisdom, intelligence, and creativity. It didn't take long, but it was a special time of communion with God. I became calmer, more peaceful, and returned to my assignment.

The writing block was gone. I wrote the assignment—it almost wrote itself; the ideas were so quick and clear. I actually enjoyed writing the paper! The composition was such a success that the professor read it in front of the class. It marked the beginning of a great improvement in my writing ability. But the most important part of this experience was the lesson learned: there is always time to pray.

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PRAY FIRST? BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME

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