praying vs demanding

In times of desperate need of a divine intervention, we all pray. Whether it is about getting good grades, receiving a promotion at work or asking your partner to say ‘yes’ when you propose to her, we all secretly wish that things work out in our favor. But this is not praying, it’s begging and demanding for our luck to shine.

Prayers essentially are done for betterment — ours and others’. Prayers are not about going through our wish lists, but they are about helping us to find contentment with what we have now. They are not about us escaping an unfortunate living situation or getting rid of someone or something that is bothering us. But they are about asking God, Higher Power or Infinite Intelligence to give us energy, fortitude and resilience to face challenges that we come across on a daily basis. It is about igniting inspiration within us so that we become better versions of ourselves. It’s internal upliftment not external attainment.

So, instead of demanding that things always work out for us, it’s better to pray for the ability and strength that we will require when things don’t work out and when our expectations are not met. As Jim Rohn has said, “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”