Hold on

I like to share inspirational and positive story with you. This type of communication is particularly significant today in light of all the difficult and tragic events that we are constantly bombarded with from around the world. This daily onslaught of news can make one feel very helpless. That’s why I feel it’s important to be reminded that we are not alone, but that we live in interdependent communities with others and that we need and rely on each other in many different ways.

I feel that connection very strongly today, because I received some good news about a close friend, whom I’ll call Jamie. Jamie has been going through a trying period. She lost her significant other a few months ago, and on top of grieving for her lost partner, she also discovered she is in a serious financial situation.

I had been very worried about all that Jamie was confronted with. I have also been praying that her current financial situation has a positive resolution. Numerous friends have rallied around her with their prayers and support. We have been scared that she might actually lose her home. But today, there was finally some relief for her situation. Jamie called me to say that, while going through her significant other’s papers, she had come across a life insurance policy she had not known about. And as a result, she now has enough money to pay off her home and other pending expenses. This is an enormous relief, and I can’t help but attribute this outcome to the power of prayer.

Some much unexplained things happen when we pray. It is as if we step aside and actually give ourselves over to something bigger and more powerful than we are. The act of praying helps us to get out of our own way and allow a higher power to enter into our life and to come to our aid. Prayer allows us to unload our burdens in a safe and private way so that we can feel supported and can function better throughout our day. Who can say what actually happens when we pray, but there is no doubt that prayer makes us feel better and gives us hope and strength to deal with challenges.

I am often surprised when people tell me that they don’t know how to pray. Praying is very easy to do. It is just about taking some time out to share our concerns and woes with a higher power, as if we were talking to a valued and trusted friend. Just this act of voicing our concerns — be it out loud or in our thoughts — makes us feel better. And after doing this, we need to be quiet and receptive to thoughts or images that our higher power may send us in response to our prayers. The act of praying can be very calming and strengthening. It is especially comforting when we are feeling lonely or in need.