Don’t be snarky about prayer by Barbara Edwards

My sister suffered from diabetes for most of her adult life and lost kidney function. I prayed daily for her recovery. I prayed for her to get a transplant. I believed that God would answer with the wonderful miracle of health.
When she died after years on the transplant waiting list, I screamed my rage. “Damn you, God. I’ll never speak to you again,” I vowed.
I repeated my promise daily as I ranted at Him for taking this wonderful person from my life.
It took me two years to realize that I was still praying. Maybe not in church or on my knees, but the words were aimed to God’s ears.
To my shock He helped ME to heal.
Some things happen the way they are meant to happen. I still cry about the loss of my sister.
I also have long conversations with God. A little one-sided at times, but He has answered me over the years.
Prayer is an odd thing since you need to believe first. The methods varied from religion to religion. Tibetan prayer wheels spin in the wind. Incense burns in the Orient wafting prayers upwards with the smoke. Prayer rugs are spread three times a day to focus the conscious on the center of the Muslim religion. Worry beads are fingered in Middle-Eastern pockets. The Rosary with its repetition of the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be, comforts Christians with familiar prayer.
Several years ago I read a scientific study done in an attempt to verify the power of prayer. Machines were used to measure all kinds of energy. The researchers were surprised by the results. When people pray the energy can be measured.
The more people praying together as in a house of worship, the more powerful the energy waves became.
So I’ve reached the point of my blog.

Barbara and Bill in a happy time

So many friends and acquaintances offered prayers for my husband’s recovery after his heart attack that I lost count of the numbers. I am so grateful for your help and support.
Thank you for your prayers.
I truly believe that every one of you added so much strength that the prayers reached God and he answered.
My husband’s struggle still isn’t over, but he’s getting better daily.

Please keep praying as he recovers.
I’ll pray for you, too.

Visit my website http://www.barbaraedwards.net or follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/Barb_ed

Author: Barbara Edwards

Riveting Romance with an Edge

34 thoughts on “Don’t be snarky about prayer by Barbara Edwards”

  1. I’ve prayed about so many things in my life, and I’ve discovered something that I constantly have to remind myself about. God always answers prayers, but sometimes it’s not the answer I was looking for and I don’t recognize it as the answer. Now I try to pray without a specific expectation, other than I know the prayer will be answered. I’m adding your husband to my prayers.

    I also appreciate that you’re honest about your anger with God. Been there and done that — felt angry, that is.

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    1. Hi Marja,
      We’re all human and must deal with all the feelings. I also struggle to recognize God’s answers.

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  2. Barbara,
    I’m glad to hear of another person who believes in the power of prayer. Prayer has taken me from bedfast with a fraction of my past cognitive function, to able to live a fairly normal life and pursue my dream of writing. It also gives me the strength daily to deal with my daughter’s addiction, and raise my grandsons so they aren’t subjected to the brutalities of that life.

    Adding my prayers to the others for your husband’s continued recovery, and your strength.
    Kenra

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  3. My thoughts and prayers for your husband and your family are with you. I understand what you went through with your sister. I lost my younger brother to cancer earlier this year and it was very difficult. We prayed for a miracle and for a while it looked like we might get one and then he died, but perhaps we had him longer than we would have and the gift of his life was our miracle.

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  4. The power of prayer is amazing, and even more amazing is a personal relationship with God. the way we expect our prayers to be answered and how they actually get answered are often two completely different things. Sometimes we can see it more clearly looking back over our lives.

    Thank you for writing this blog, and may many blessings flow to your husband.

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  5. It’s funny how you find people. I saw a tweet by Mae Clair about this post. I read the post. Then I looked at the books. Now Ancient Awakening is on my wish list. Ah, the power of Twitter.

    One thing I have to always remember…sometimes the answer to the prayer is no. Just like a father says yes, no, or not right now to a child, God says the same to us. It doesn’t mean He doesn’t care how we feel. I don’t know why He let my best friend die last year. But He knows. And He helped me through it.

    I’ll say a prayer for your husband!

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    1. Thank you, LauraLynn, for both the prayers and liking my book.
      It took me a long time to understand that I don’t always understand.

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  6. I’ve seen the miracle of answered prayer in my life on several occassions. No one will ever convince me God doesn’t hear us when we pray. He might not always answer the way we want (and sometimes it may feel like our anguish and pleading is falling on deaf ears), but He is there, hurting with us, listening and comforting.. I will continue to keep you and your husband in my prayers, Barbara. This was a wonderful post.

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  7. Prayer is a wonderful thing. I’ve seen at least one miracle in my life. My brother was badly burned in an explosion. Near death several time, but each times prayer worked and he’s still here with us today. The last time we were on our way to the hospital and I was praying silently in the car, but I changed my prayer. Instead of praying for my brother’s recovery, I prayed if God was going to take him, to please do it quickly so he, my sister-in-law and my parents would quit suffering. A voice spoke in my head – It said, “I’m not finished with him yet, I’m not going to take him.” A couple days later, my brother came to and recovered at an amazing rate. Unfortunately, those same prayers didn’t work for my oldest brother and sister. We lost them both to cancer. Apparently, God needed them more than we did. God does answer prayers, just not always the way we want Him to. I’m sorry for your loss and will pray for you and your husband.

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  8. A wonderful post, Barbara. I too believe in the power of prayer. I’ve gotten angry with God, and I’ve heard his answers despite being certain I didn’t deserve them. Over time, I’ve found that God always listens, however I chose to pray, and that he always answers. My prayers to you and your husband. ❤

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