I am teaching in primary today AND doing Sharing Time, so I've been very busy reading and preparing for these things. It has worked out that the lessons compliment each other greatly. My primary lesson is on Samuel the boy prophet and recognizing promptings from the Spirit, then sharing time is on prayer.
I have a testimony of prayer, but still feel like I don't always recognize promptings, so I've been actively working on recognizing them. After preparing for today's lessons I realize that I have promptings regularly, I just don't always realize that's what they are. They aren't always halting moments of inspiration, they are those quiet thoughts and feelings that direct me daily. Why do I think it has to be more than that?
I was reading the definition of prayer in the bible dictionary last night and loved the matter of fact wording.
"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matthew 7:7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.
Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.
Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ's name at all; they in no way represent his mind, but spring out of the selfishness of man's heart." page 752-753 BD
Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.
Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ's name at all; they in no way represent his mind, but spring out of the selfishness of man's heart." page 752-753 BD
I love having a reason to study gospel-related things. I don't know why I'm not more disciplined about doing this on my own. Apparently I'm still immature enough that I need to feel responsible to others in order to make myself do this. I just realized how foolish I am for not feeling that the weight of my responsibilities as a mother should be enough to make me study and be as knowledgeable as I want to be.
**What are your thoughts and feelings about this?**
13 comments:
Thanks for sharing such helpful thoughts on prayers. I have a testimony of prayer and I pray throughout the day, but I struggle with being in tune about the whisperings of the spirit as you said. This has been weighing on my mind a lot lately. I need to do something about it. Thanks for reminding me. It's given me a boost to be more prayerful and aware. I hope Primary goes well!
Prayer is one of my favorite things. Prayer may be the first thing I remember gaining a testimony of (I guess faith must have come first in some way...) I already wrote about prayer being instant gratification from my world. I am constantly amazed at how many times I can be granted peace to get through the day or something I am dealing with. Since I can't shop, or sometimes even talk about my dilemma's I use prayer as my fix-all. It is truly my "instant gratification."
Thanks for all these thoughts. I love quotes and being reminded of all that I should be doing. Hope your lesson and sharing time went well.
Thank you, Jill, for sharing those wonderful insights about prayer. I have never read the Bible Dictionary on that and realized how much knowledge I am missing out on by neglecting to study better. So glad you have enlightened many of us.
Well, that is great - and interesting. It struck me as I was reading this - Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ's name at all; they in no way represent his mind, but spring out of the selfishness of man's heart." page 752-753 BD - perhaps I am this type of person? I have a hard time with recognizing answers to my prayers. Thanks for the great nudge to get me thinking.
By the way, that is one of my all time favorite pictures. The door without the handle, so you have to invite him in. I love it.
What excellent thoughts. I'm struck by how much insight and wisdom I'm most likely missing out on by not studying the Bible Dictionary. Perhaps I should actually read it! Such a great definition, and I'm convinced that we often are waiting around for blessings that we only need to ask for and claim.
Excellent post. I have my moments of epiphany when I recognize a prompting and the reason for it AFTER I didn't follow it. So sad. I'm starting to get better about just doing things without questioning.
Thank you so much for your thoughts, I would have never thought to read about it in the Bible Dictionary but I love that definition! Today in primary the teacher doing sharing time had a demonstration with her class about prayer. She held the end of seven strings in her hand and each of the seven students take the end of one string. She explained that the string represented our prayers to Heavenly Father....when we are going through trials or asking for thing we may be praying more fervently (the children pulled tightly on the strings)...we become humbled and as the relationship becomes closer we can hear answers better. But as we forget to pray, don't pray with real intent etc. we loosen the strings and answers are harder to hear. When we do things wrong in our lives (sin) we may let go of the string entirely, losing our ability to recieve answers (the children let go of their strings). The teaacher then held up her hand to show that she was still holding VERY TIGHTLY to all strings and that Heavenly Father is always there waiting and wanting us to pray to him, it is just up to us at to how tight we want the string to be.
Amazing the things I am learning (and the spirit I am feeling) being in primary! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, as always it is very uplifting!
Thanks. I love this part of the quote:
Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ's name at all; they in no way represent his mind, but spring out of the selfishness of man's heart.
This is something that Jeremy and I are working on together. While I have a testimony of prayer, I realized lately that I've never fully utilized it in my life.
Great topic. Our lesson was about being quiet enough to hear the spirit and the answers to prayers. It was so insightful, because it talked about what the spirit was and specifically said that spirit rarely talks loudly, but usually in a quiet, reverent voice. I think I miss it so many times, because I'm expecting.. a bolt of lightning.
I need to spend more time in the Bible Dictionary.
Thanks for sharing such wonderful quotes. It was exactly what I needed to hear. I also wonder why with such great resposibility I have as a mother to teach my children why I don't do better at studing the gospel and sharing it with my kids? Thanks for the reminder. And who would of thought studing the bible dictionary?
By the way I am Amies friend, hope you don't mind the comment.
Hi Melinda, of course I don't mind you commenting. I don't know over half the people who comment on my blog, but I consider them my friends now.
That post was so beautiful. Like most things in my life my study of the gospel goes through stages, at times I am hardworking and setting a time each day where I read and study scriptures, other times it's just as I am falling asleep.
I have a hard time remembering that I receive promptings daily and that's how I end up where I am, I always think it needs to be big miraculous events. I think keeping a daily journal as helped me a lot with recognizing the spirit and how it acts in my life daily.
Thanks for the thoughful post.
Post a Comment