What is Prayer? Why Do Some Prayers Go Unanswered?

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Do you sometimes pray to “God” or to some outside force for an outcome?

Why is it that some prayers go unanswered?

What is prayer anyways?

When people ask for you to pray for them, what do you do? Usually when someone asks for prayer, they want an outcome different than the one they are in, and so they ask for “prayers” which usually means “I want to be out of this situation I am currently in. Please pray for me.”

Have you ever taken the time to think about this activity?

Last Friday, on May 10, 2019, I gave a talk on prayer in our ACIM Friday Morning Group. It’s a one-hour talk. This group meets every Friday morning at 10:30am EST, and we live-stream the classes each week. Many people have made this group their Course in Miracles group and we would love to have you join us.

You may have already seen this video already, but I still wanted to repost it as a blog because it’s getting an avalanche of awesome mail from people saying “Oh my God, thank you!” because it all suddenly makes perfect sense to a lot of people why “praying” (in the usual way most people think of prayer) is similar to asking Santa Claus for gifts.

True Prayer is getting plugged-in, connected and centered to the Love You Are, and in this place there is only gratitude and rejoicing. Click To Tweet

Prayer is a way to reach the awareness of your own oneness and wholeness, and to see the perfection of everything around you. Here in this space there is nothing to “pray” for, in the asking sense because you realize you have everything now.

In order to talk about prayer, we need to talk about God and I do so in this video.

God is not outside of you. God is not a He, not a person, not a being and not an Identity.

God is a state of being. God is a state of mind of Love … and you are one with that.

Also in this video, I talk about the newly released movie “Breakthrough” which is about a 14-year old boy who fell the ice, was submerged under water for 15 minutes and without a pulse for 45-minutes and then came back to life. Based on the movie and the story, it seems to suggest that prayer brought him back.

And I’m happy he’s alive and well, but it brings up the question: What about all the thousands of other people who pray and the person died. Did they pray wrong? Were they being tested? Was their faith not strong enough? What happened there?

You can see the illogic in prayer of this kind.

I wanted to talk about this movie because a lot of people are praying for health, for money, for release from pain, for improved relationships and nothing much seems to change and then they think they are “doing it wrong” and I really wanted to nip that in the bud.

You’re not being tested. You didn’t do it wrong. God’s not rewarding some people and ignoring others. God is not punishing you. You don’t have to try harder, as so many people mistakenly believe.

True Prayer is a song of gratitude in acknowledgement for what you are.

Enjoy the video.

 If you like it, please share it.

And finally here is the email I read at the end of the video, from a woman named Pat.

“Hi Lisa, Three or four years ago I had such pain in my hands that I had difficulty dressing, driving, doing everyday life. I starting reading about “my diagnosis,” talking to other people who had similar symptoms, and wondering how I was going to manage as I lived alone. I knew enough about Truth to know this had to stop. So I stopped “looking for cures,” and instead, many times a day (hundreds) I’d replace any thought related to the pain with either, “There is no pain in God and none in me,” or “Thank You for my healing.” I did this for months, then one day I realized my hands didn’t hurt anymore. I could lift a skillet with one hand. I could zip zippers in the back of dresses. I truly was healed. Still am. I’ll soon be 70 years old, feel great and take no medications. And I still say to myself frequently, “Thank you for my healing.” -Pat

Now it’s your turn! We would love to hear from you!

Post your comments on prayer in the Comments below. Got a great practice? Please share it. Got a great story about healing or prayer, let us know about it.

Thousands of people come through here and read the blog comments and your voice matters.

And make sure to check out our programs here at the Teachers of God Foundation.

Love,

Lisa

Lisa Natoli is devoted to making people happy and does her best to make them laugh, because laughter really is the best medicine. She is the Founder of The Healing Cure and the Creator of The 40-Day Program for Transformation.

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7 Comments on “What is Prayer? Why Do Some Prayers Go Unanswered?”

  1. Hello Lisa, Thank you!
    What asked to pray for someone I always send love and good wishes to them. I thank god for my many blessing and then ask for a —. blessing to send to them. I have struggled to know what to do. I guess I like to think I can share my blessings with others through Love and God. I really want to be helpful. Can we be helpful just by sending love and good wishes?? Ann

  2. I’ve been a student/teacher of the Course for about 20 years. I kept my name online and have taken students, without charge, one on one. I was paying back for a teacher who taught me. A few years ago I had a new student, and I had this thought that I no longer knew what to teach. So I simply said to God as I drifted off to sleep…..God I’m not sure what I should be teaching. Please tell me. In my sleep I got this message in large black, block letters. IT’S ALL WITHIN. IT’S KNOWING THAT IT’S ALL WITHIN. IT’S KNOWING THAT IT’S ALL WITHIN ALWAYS. AND ALWAYS IS ALWAYS. What a wonderful, immediate answer to a prayer. I carry that with me always.

  3. Hi Lisa. Love love your video on prayer. I accepted this view of prayers after joining a prayer group. I have never been able to pray. Imagine that!! I thought there was something wrong w me. I get it now!!!! I like your take on when you get asked to pray for someone. I always say yes now too but I don’t ask god for some special favor. I simply say your will be done. Funny how it does seem like sometimes it does work. I heard you and Max and getting in the vibration seems to make sense. I’d like to know more about this. You are awesome! Love, Deb.

  4. I just watched for second time and seeing where identity goes finally sinks in.I am very grateful for your teachings Lisa.

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