As if..

When you pray, pray as if God is listening. Pray with confidence.

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” 1 John 5:14

So many times we pray weakly. Maybe because we’ve prayed before but didn’t see or hear an answer. We think, “this is too big for me” or “I’ll pray but…”.

There should always be faith in your heart that God is listening and wants to answer. Faith and trust are the key to receiving miracles in your prayer. And, when you see an answer, confidence can grow.

For me it is still hard to admit that I lacked faith that night a decade ago in the ICU. I had be hearing God’s voice speaking to me and had been present when He had visited my daughter. On one side of the coin, I had no doubts but on the other was my ‘but’.

I hadn’t the depth of faith when the chops were down to pray a miracle. But, God made a miracle that night, several of them, in fact.

The ICU doctor said that he knew there was prayer involved that night, because as he stated to my daughter two weeks later, “I did nothing, you being here was an answer to prayers.”

God also introduced me to St. Faustina and probably the greatest miracle I’ve ever witnessed, His Divine Mercy.

Several years later, again in the ICU, I prayed over her. The time I prayed in faith and confidence. I knew the Father was listening. I praised Him for all the gifts and blessings He had given through my daughter. I thanked Him and asked for His healing power to pour down upon and through my daughter. A few days later she was out of the ICU.

And, last year, while in Poland, I prayed with total confidence before our Lady and before St. Faustina. I knew that God was listening and would answer, so I asked a miraculous healing. “Show Your power, Lord”. She had a rough two years, in the hospital more than out. No more then a few days at home before being readmitted. Many health issues that caused a struggle to just to get through the days. So many the doctors couldn’t explain not treat.

When we came home she was in the hospital. But, two weeks after coming home from Poland, she was released from the hospital and hasn’t been back in nearly a year now. All the side health struggles vanished and haven’t returned. She went from a multi-year Lupus flare up to nothing seemingly overnight.

Coincidence? No way! God-incidence and miracle. This is the power of the prayer of a father. The prayer of a man with no doubts of God’s presence.

So, when you pray, pray knowing God will answer. Don’t pray “maybe” but pray “He will”. To quota Yoda from Empire Strikes Back, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” After Skywalker failed in raising his X-wing, Yoda raised it from the swamp, Luke’s response is what ours often is, “I don’t believe it” and Yoda’s reply is so true of our prayers as well, “that is why you fail”. We need to believe is the power of God and call upon it in total trust.

“The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” James 5:1