Answered Prayers

God answers sharp and sudden on some prayers, And thrusts the thing we have prayed for in our face, a gauntlet with a gift in "it."

-ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING

Oscar Wilde believed that there were only two tragedies in life: not getting what you pray for and getting it.

"Answered prayers are scary," Julia Cameron admits in The Artist's Way. "They imply responsibility. You asked for it. Now that you've got it, what are you going to do? Why else the cautionary phrase 'Watch out for what you pray for; you just might get it'? Answered prayers deliver us back to our own hand. This is not comfortable."

Very often the reason we're uncomfortable is because we've not been praying for the right thing, and on some deep level we know it. We pray to meet our soul mate, instead of praying for the grace to become the person our soul mate would be attracted to; we pray for worldly success when what we really long for is a sense of authentic accomplishment; we pray for more money, when what we need is a change in our relationship to money. We pray for a certain outcome in any given situation, when what we should be praying for is peace of mind, no matter which outcome occurs.

Actually, our prayers are always being answered. We just don't like to think that "no" is a reasonable response to our very reasonable requests. Writer Madeleine L'Engle admits, in The Irrational Season-surely speaking for us all-"We don't like Noes; and sometimes we like the Noes of God less than any other No."

The "noes" of Spirit are more of a Holy Mystery than the "yeses"; more meaningful to meditate upon, after the tears, the fury, and the cursing sub¬side. The "Noes" of God don't make sense to our conscious, rational mind, especially since we're convinced we know what's best. But, do we? Really? We want the "yes," but sometimes we need the "no." Consider the disaster that would ensue if we answered a child's every request with a "yes.". That's too frightening even to contemplate. But we're children of Divinity.

We can't begin to envision the big picture; nor do we weigh our requests against the prayers of others. Spirit hears both the hopeful entreaties for a sunny family reunion picnic and the farmer's plea for rain.

You would be astounded at the relief that comes once you stop assuming you have all the answers.

When your prayers seem delayed or denied, you need to ask Spirit if you're praying for the right thing. If you're not, ask that the right prayer might be revealed to you. Very often when we're told "No," it's to allow us more time, space, wisdom, and experience to prepare for the glorious moment when, because you're finally ready, willing, and able, Spirit answers you with a sharp, sudden, and resounding "Yes!"