The Power of Prayer
From: The Power of Prayer
Since ancient days miraculous blessings have been experienced through the prayers of those who had true faith in God. In times of need many of you may have experienced the power of prayer. When our minds turn to God in sincere prayer, divine Light and love come to us through the spiritual cord which connects the soul with God, the spiritual body is raised to a higher plane, and miracles happen. No matter how humanly weak we may feel, when we turn to God in prayer, we receive strength, courage, wisdom, and power. That is why those who live a life of prayer seem to radiate divine joy and love. Their auras, if we could see them, would appear wide and radiant.
There are different stages people can reach in prayer. The first stage in prayer is the spontaneous prayer uttered in a time of danger. For instance, even an atheist will resort to prayer when face to face with death. Everyone has a deep, instinctive yearning for the Infinite Being, and in times of great emergency, this yearning comes to the fore. The soul is part of God and has an innate longing for its source.
The second stage we can reach in prayer is the kind of prayer uttered by people who do believe in God and pray regularly for solutions to their problems. To be able to pray to God is a wonderful comfort and blessing. God answers sincere prayers, although not always in the way we desire. In the long run, however, we find God's way is always perfect.
The third stage we can reach in prayer is the prayer of gratitude. People are quick to pray when they have problems, but many forget to thank God when their prayers are answered. Those with true spiritual understanding and strong faith never forget to express their gratitude. The more understanding one gains, the more appreciative one becomes, finding many things to be grateful for in life. Grateful people radiate an inner serenity. Study in itself without living a life of faith does not impart spiritual wisdom and a sense of appreciation. A simple person who lives his or her faith may be spiritually more mature than one who studies metaphysics without applying its principles.
The fourth and highest stage of prayer is the prayer offered for humanity. A person in this stage prays for anyone who is in need of help and prayer. Our soul extends when we sincerely practice this altruistic prayer again and again. In praying for others, we find that we can easily utter words of prayer, but putting our hearts and soul into the prayer the way we do when we pray for ourselves is hard. However, the happiness we experience when our prayer for another is answered cannot be compared with anything else. It is joy supreme. It purifies and gives radiance to the aura, and without our realizing it, we are gradually raised to a higher plane.
~ Rev. Higuchi