Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out
That’s the eleventh step of the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. I’ve never paid much attention to the details of that step having never gotten that far in the program. This evening, I noticed it said to ask God ONLY for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out. I have been praying all wrong! I have been praying for anything and everything. I pray mostly for mental health. In the shower. While I eat. While I am driving. I am asking God to help remove my mental illness. It has tortured me so over the years. Maybe God’s will was to mold me as the person I am today through my mental illness. I think I am very kind and it is one of my most important aspects as a person. I have a lot of empathy for people who are downtrodden and/or ill. I have been praying for a miracle and maybe I’ve gotten it all wrong. God must be much more subtle than that and I will not set myself up for disappointment when he doesn’t cater to my every prayer and whim.
9 comments:
((hugz)) Good for you Andrew!!
I too was perplxed alot by what I should pray for. I pray for all the things I want for myself, and others, but I always add,,,"If it is thy will" or "Thy will be done".
There is nothing wrong with asking for want we want, we just need remember its up to God to grant it and he has perfect reasons for granting or denying. We just need to learn to trust his will and have faith its for the best.
Thru your blog, you have helped numerous people who have mental illness or who are affected by a loved one's mental illness. You serve to help many, dear Andrew.
Wow... I think you got it! God doesn't give us trials in life, but God uses the trials, illnesses, tribulations, etc., in our life to mold in HIS image. You are kind and empathetic because He molded you to be those things, using your mental illness to help you be those things. I can't stop smiling, Andrew... God has opened your mind to ALL the possibilities now... and that, my friend, is AWESOME! :-)
Hi Andrew! I stopped in to share a few words of wisdom, but Lottie up there has said what I would have said, just about the way I would have said it (great minds think alike).
I too am smiling. Looks like another door has been opened for you! Kinda funny how that happens, isn't it?
Jan in PA
Yep - grow where you are planted! Just make sure you grow to be the best you can. I believe that He is working on us all the time. We are all "works in progress" as far as He is concerned!
So far - especially here lately - you're doing a darned good job my friend!
Love ya,
Grannie
I echo everything the others have said Andrew..its so good to read yoour Post today..I firmly believe God can use your handling of your mental illness to help others who may be suffering the same way..only when you have experienced something can you TRULY say to a person, I know how you are feeling i have been there...God often doesn't take away our problems, rather teaches us how to live with them and 'overcome' them..yes we are ALL works in progress..you are progressing really well,..and passing on your wisdom to others, even if you may not realise that.
If what has happened in my life the last year is God's will, then I am truly disappointed.
I know how hard life can be..especially when you can't understand why God allows things to happen..we all feel that way sometimes, i have a close family member with Cancer, a daughter who is in a wheelchair and as been for many years,a son who is having terrible problems at the moment (you know what these are Andrew as i wrote to you about them) and am not in the best of health myself..but without my Faith..i would go under completely...if anyone had told me many years ago that i would feel this way..i would have thought they were crazy !!..i think it is something you have to experience to understand..and the more you experience the more you seem to understand..but my heart goes out to people who are suffering any sort of trauma's in their lives ..who are doing it alone & without God...i pray for them all, you are a good man Andrew and i know you do the same...sometimes Gods will is NOT want we either want or expect..and that is difficult to handle...but as we stay close DESPITE our problems, things do begin to change, especially emotionally.
I hope You are right Joy Heather and I will keep that in my mind and heart as well.
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