I have been pondering prayer for quite sometime now. Admittedly I havent put in the study time that I have been needing to understand it. I've actually been questioning it in my head. I have been wondering what is the point of praying to Heavenly Father for things I need. It just didnt make sense to me. Through out my life I have ganed a trust in my Heavenly Father. I know that he knows what is best for me. I still realized the importance of prayer. It helps me to stay close to and become closer to my Heavenly Father. But why do I need to ask Him for things that I need? I mean I had asked for lots of things and never really got them. I asked for things I really felt like I needed. And alot of the times the answer was no Dusty you really dont need that right now. So I just started feeling like what was the point. Tonight I came across some words that I felt really were a help and a blessing to me. They were in a talk given by Elder David A. Bednar
"The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate."
Looking back I know those things I asked for werent what I really needed. I knew it back then when I got the answer of no. Of course we are going to get no answers. I mean every morning I have to tell Pj no he can't have a cookie for breakfast. He still askes though cause he just doesnt understand that it really isnt healthy to eat that kind of stuff for breakfast. I to just dont understand yet why what ever it is that I ask for isnt right for me at the time. And the journey to figure it out is what helps me to grow closer to my Heavenly Father and to become more wise. Plus its how I can become more Christ like.
I also learned my prayers need alot of work. I often find myself just running through that list and never really stopping to ponder and listen to what my Heavenly Father has to tell me. Life just gets more crazy the older you get. I seem to be filling my life with things that while are good are not the most important thing. So yes Heavenly Father does know what is best for me and sometimes I just have to learn a lesson instead of just get the answer that I want. Which now that I think of it is really funny. At work I find myself saying "go do some problem solving and then come back and talk to me about what you have come up with." Heavenly Father has basically been doing that for us. That is why we need to pray for things. Bring him some of the solutions that we have come up with and then talk with Him about what the answer is.
