Prayer
and Doubt
We
often wonder how we can be sure that when we communicate with
God we are actually talking to God and not merely to ourselves.
Could it be only our over-active imagination that attributes to
God what is really generated by our own mind? This is a question
asked even by the most religiously faithful. We want to believe
there is a God who is listening and responding to our needs, but
we have a niggling fear that we may be as deluded as a thirsty
prospector who believes there is water in an endless sea of hot
desert sand.
The core of active faith is to trust even when we’re not
sure, even when it seems impossible or improbable, even when the
evidence doesn’t support it. There will always be times
when we are certain we are praying to a God who hears, and there
will be times when we are sure we are only talking to ourselves,
but active faith calls us simply to keep praying no matter what
our doubts or our certainties are. A hiker climbing in the Himalayas
doesn’t know if he will reach the summit or if his journey
will be in vain. All he can be certain of is that he will never
arrive at the top without climbing –putting one foot in
front of the other. It is the action of faith (even without proof)
that will eventually get us to our destination.
There is no proof that when we pray, we pray to God and not our
own selves. But, it is certain that if we stop praying, the God
for whom we search will always feel out of reach.
Tip to try: The next time you wonder if there is any
value in praying, just notice, without any judgment or shame,
the emotions that push through your soul. Then take 5 minutes
to read Mark 9: 17-27. After reading, simply let your soul repeat,
“Lord, I believe; but help my unbelief.”
