This archive Sunday post was written by Artemis, and was originally posted on June 1, 2009. To see the original post and comments, go here.
This month’s visiting teaching message is titled Participate in Sincere Prayer. And I confess that I was a little relieved to discover the topic–if there is one religious practice I believe in, it is sincere prayer. In fact, recently I’ve found myself thinking repeatedly about the hymn Prayer is the Soul’s Sincere Desire. I have no idea if they based the message around the hymn–certainly the phrasing of it is similar–but the title phrase itself provides a simple but illuminating view on what prayer actually is. You could argue that an insincere prayer is not really a prayer at all, that “sincere prayer” is redundant. But the part I’ve been thinking about most is this phrase:
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, uttered or unexpressed, the motion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast
In other words, that which we hope for or desire, particularly those most fervent or desperate hopes and desires, is a prayer, the caveat being that prayer is holy, of course, and directed to a holy God, so these prayerful desires would be those we could discuss with God (ergo, sinful desires would probably not constitute prayer). In other words, when we desire anything that is “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy”, we are praying.
Perhaps this is obvious to all of you, but for me it’s one of those simple but profound truths that bear pondering. The very act of me wanting something I believe to be good, this is prayer. To me, this is significant because, first, as a feminist, I long for some things that are not currently practiced in our patriarchal church, but things that my heart and, I believe, the Spirit, are telling me are true, good things. Second, and more to the core of the matter, I think it identifies what a prayer feels like. Prayer is a deeply emotional experience, a connection and communication with God, but also a meditative practice that shows us our own minds and hearts as well as God’s. Perhaps this is why the Lord says that “the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.” Songs (music) evoke and express our emotions, whether joyful, sorrowful, meditative, loving, or anything else. I suppose that God might also have said that “the prayers of the righteous are a song unto me”, an expression in our hearts that goes beyond words, just like music often does.
Which brings me to one of the quotes in this month’s message. Elder James Faust said:
“… Sincere prayers come from the heart. Indeed, sincerity requires that we draw from the earnest feelings of our hearts”
The mental image I’m having here is of prayer being a channel that both aligns and directs our hearts and minds toward God and then, through the same channel, receives back God’s communion with us, giving us direction, inspiration, comfort. Maybe even answers, sometimes, but these are not often obvious to me during my prayers. Answers I usually find in insights or events that happen afterwards.
I also like the rest of what Elder Faust has to say about prayer, it’s purpose and content:
“First, prayer is a humble acknowledgment that God is our Father and that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. Second, it is a sincere confession of sin and transgression and a request for forgiveness. Third, it is recognition that we need help beyond our own ability. Fourth, it is an opportunity to express thanksgiving and gratitude to our Creator. It is important that we frequently say: ‘We thank Thee … ,’ ‘We acknowledge before Thee … ,’ ‘We are grateful unto Thee …’ Fifth, it is a privilege to ask Deity for specific blessings.”
The first three purposes listed are all manifestations of humility, a crucial step in molding ourselves into receiving enlightenment. We may seek, but if we are not teachable, we cannot progress. Gratitude for what we have is another essential step, and I think it would be hard to underestimate its importance in finding God and enlightenment. Then, interestingly, Elder Faust culminates with the “privilege” of asking for blessings. Couched in those terms, it is still an extension of humility and gratitude, but it is also an injunction to confidence before God. An interesting trinity–humility, gratitude, and confidence–one that points to a happy balance in spirituality. Certainly all are essential to a healthy view of oneself, as well as one’s relationship with God and others.
I suspect it is this balance that gives a person the grounding she needs to make prayer a tool of power in her life and in others’ lives, giving her both divine and internal strength to help deal with the situations of life.
As President Julie Beck says:
“Think of our combined strength if every sister had sincere prayer every morning and night or, better yet, prayed unceasingly as the Lord has commanded. If every family had family prayer daily … , we would be stronger”
It is simply put, but I believe her. Even if only one woman had regular sincere communion with God, I believe that that grounding and guiding experience would give her much needed confidence and resilience to navigate life and help others. Multiplying that effect for both individuals and communities could lead to a truly staggering force for good.
I also like what Elder Bruce McConkie says:
“Prayer changes our lives. Through it we draw near to the Lord, and he reaches out his finger and touches us, so we never again are the same.”
Prayer–sincere prayer–is a transformative process, even once. Repeated and regular experiences with the influence of prayer–grounding, guiding, comforting, strengthening, etc.–could be nothing short of revolutionary. Such a transformation is really what all people who value goodness and truth seek, whether they find it in religious or non-religious ways. Because enlightenment does not happen overnight, it is a process; and prayer for the religious person is an essential tool in that process because of the opportunity and power it offers in helping a person evaluate, connect, and (re)align her emotions and desires so that she may, with God’s help, transform herself into the being she wants to be.
Questions you might ask:
~ How do you experience prayer? What is it like for you?
~ Have your prayers changed? How? What do those changes mean to you?
~ What is the focus of your prayers?
~ What changes have you seen in your life and others’ lives because of prayer?
~ Have you found strength through prayer? Was it what (or how) you expected it to be?
~ How has prayer brought you closer to God?