Comments on: The Genie and Three Wishes:How to Clarify What You Want http://www.davidarthurcode.com/2006_05_16/the-genie-and-three-wisheshow-to-clarify-what-you-want/ Marriage and Family Coaching Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:19:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: David Code http://www.davidarthurcode.com/2006_05_16/the-genie-and-three-wisheshow-to-clarify-what-you-want/#comment-9 David Code Mon, 04 Sep 2006 20:20:46 +0000 http://www.davidarthurcode.com/2006_05_16/the-genie-and-three-wisheshow-to-clarify-what-you-want/#comment-9 Kelly, thanks for your thoughtful post. I think it doesn't matter where one begins. Praying to ask for stuff or praying to discern God's will is still getting the job done. In my own faith practice, the balance shifts all the time. I guess one could make the case that prayer/meditation to discern God's will is a more "mature" prayer, but I'm not convinced. I think God's mercy is great enough to just receive us where we are, and work with us at that point in time. Bottom line: there's no right-or-wrong way; the main thing is to put in the time and focus on your prayer life. Hope this helps, David Arthur Code Kelly, thanks for your thoughtful post. I think it doesn’t matter where one begins. Praying to ask for stuff or praying to discern God’s will is still getting the job done. In my own faith practice, the balance shifts all the time. I guess one could make the case that prayer/meditation to discern God’s will is a more “mature” prayer, but I’m not convinced. I think God’s mercy is great enough to just receive us where we are, and work with us at that point in time. Bottom line: there’s no right-or-wrong way; the main thing is to put in the time and focus on your prayer life.
Hope this helps,
David Arthur Code

]]> By: Kelly http://www.davidarthurcode.com/2006_05_16/the-genie-and-three-wisheshow-to-clarify-what-you-want/#comment-8 Kelly Sat, 26 Aug 2006 01:39:09 +0000 http://www.davidarthurcode.com/2006_05_16/the-genie-and-three-wisheshow-to-clarify-what-you-want/#comment-8 What do you think about prayer being a way of aligning our hearts with God's will? God already knows our desires before we can even utter them, is the prayer a way of meditation for us to realize that we want certain traits actualized? I know God hears our prayers, but I guess I am not sure where the line is drawn. At what point, if it even matters, does the prayer cease to be a supplication and start to be a meditation? Is there a way to think about it which will help me to stop feeling like the child who continuously asks for something? Perhaps prayer as supplication v. prayer as meditation doesn't matter. Perhaps the prayer is simply the practice of letting "the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be pleasing and acceptable" to God. Through our prayers we are able to draw closer to God. I believe that in that intimacy with Him, it isn't always that our prayers (as we pray them) are being answered, but that our desires (what we pray for) will be changed. What do you think about prayer being a way of aligning our hearts with God’s will? God already knows our desires before we can even utter them, is the prayer a way of meditation for us to realize that we want certain traits actualized? I know God hears our prayers, but I guess I am not sure where the line is drawn. At what point, if it even matters, does the prayer cease to be a supplication and start to be a meditation? Is there a way to think about it which will help me to stop feeling like the child who continuously asks for something?

Perhaps prayer as supplication v. prayer as meditation doesn’t matter. Perhaps the prayer is simply the practice of letting “the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be pleasing and acceptable” to God. Through our prayers we are able to draw closer to God. I believe that in that intimacy with Him, it isn’t always that our prayers (as we pray them) are being answered, but that our desires (what we pray for) will be changed.

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