Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the way many of us think about prayer. Even though, in Unity teachings, we emphasize affirmative prayer, it can be easy, especially in times of deep distress, to fall back into the old paradigm of prayer as pleading with God to fix a problem or take away our pain.
Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore emphasizes the transformative power of prayer. He teaches that prayer is not just a ritual but a deep and intentional practice that can elevate consciousness and foster a closer connection to the Divine. In “Teach Us To Pray”, Fillmore guides us to understand prayer as a means to align with higher truths and cultivate a more profound relationship with the Inner Christ.
But can it be effective to ask for things in prayer? In her book “E-squared”, Pam Grout writes, “Ask", in Aramaic (the language spoken by Jesus), means a combination of “claim” (as in, that deed to the land is yours) and “demand”. To ask for something in prayer is to simply lay hold of what’s yours. Your have the right, and even the responsibility to command your life.”
.png)
Chapter 4 of the Gospel of Mark includes this story:
“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark makes it clear that Jesus didn’t beg a Deity to rescue them. He didn’t plead or try to bargain with the storm to lighten up. He commanded the wind and waves to be still. He fearlessly claimed his authority even over the weather. Jesus aligned with his highest truth and manifested calm out of chaos. I can’t think of a better example of the transformative power of prayer.
By Catherine Donavon
Unity Santa Fe Prayer Practitioner
Prayer Practitioners Available Every Sunday and During the Week
Every Sunday, after service, you have the opportunity to pray with a Unity Prayer Practitioner in the Sanctuary or youth classroom.
You can also request to have a Prayer Practitioner call you once a month or during the week for a Private Prayer Call.