“Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you – for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart.”
— St. Therese of Lisieux
Since my life-changing experience at the TOB retreat in PA in June of this year, I’ve been attending Adoration several times a week in addition to daily mass.
And something awesome has been happening.
My prayers are being answered.
This shouldn’t surprise me. This shouldn’t surprise anyone who has faith.
But without fail, every single time I read something that strikes a chord in me…
…or I come across a scripture passage that speaks to me
…or encounter someone who says exactly what I need to hear at that moment
…or I see someone so strong in their faith…
I am left in awe at the power of my small prayer.
I literally sit there in front of the Blessed Sacrament beaming, grinning from ear to ear.
If I’m at home or at daily mass, I catch myself smiling when I think about how every time I may have a moment of doubt, I am ALWAYS proven wrong. It’s almost like God is saying, “Why do you doubt me? You know I got your back.”
These are no huge miracles. These things are really nothing to make a big deal about. But to me, they HELP reinforce my faith that all this praying isn’t all for nothing. It really is tangible. It’s real. He’s real.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34
Just two days ago, I received a letter in the mail saying my Medicaid had been terminated because I hadn’t sent in the correct information. Just reading the word “Terminated” was enough to throw me off my game and send me into a panic. I’m on a very expensive medication that I receive every 8 weeks thru an IV. So of course, after reading this letter, I immediately panicked and worried and prayed for a solution. That night, I got a call from a friend asking if I wanted some part-time work to help my financial situation. (He had no idea about the letter obviously, he just knows I’m always looking for extra funds to help pay down my debt.)
I had to smile…I think I even laughed as I listened to his voicemail.
“God’s got my back.”
I called the case worker the next morning to ask why it was terminated when in fact I DID send in the information that was requested.
Without even waiting more than half a minute, she said, “Oh you were approved 10 days ago. Disregard that letter. It was sent by mistake.”
After an entire day and night of panicked prayer, it turned out I worried for nothing.
Once again, I had to smile and laugh.
God has my back. All the time.
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
Prayer isn’t magic. And contrary to what I believed for a very long time, it’s not something that you do only when you need something. It’s something, I think, that you need to keep up with.
Some nights I don’t feel like going to Adoration. Some days, I’m just not in the mood to go to mass. Sometimes, I’m really tired and all I want to do is sleep instead of doing an Examen of Conscience.
But, without fail, every time, even if it’s just a short prayer to God asking for strength, I always feel immediately better. (The website I link lists 10 super short prayers. Even gives the estimated time it takes to say them; some of them under a second!)
I swear by it. I live by it. And now I’m writing about it: This prayer thing?
Yeah…it’s the real deal. :)