By The Qoheleth
Some people raised issues in a previous post by The Qoheleth that Nigerians may not need God’s assistance in what he had already granted to man. God gave man freedom and power to use what he created to develop himself and the world. He created and provided life, nature, and the world to inherit and benefit from. God’s gifts are universal, not personal. He granted man the same physical features; so, with various creatures which includes animals, vegetation and other phenomena. Subsequently, he gave man power out of his gifts and creations to further discover other things required for good living such as wealth, education, health, science and technology as well as knowledge. It is not necessary therefore for man to pray to God to grant these things he had already given man opportunities to have. We may not also need to pray for what we can get.
If you open the social media these days, you would be inundated with all manners of prophesies and wishful prayers. Many people take joy in claiming such immeasurable prophesies and wishes as if they would come to pass as prayed. Such prophesies include:
“Your recent and longtime successes in the hands of your enemies shall be released in the mighty name of Jesus.”
“Abraham did not bury Isaac and Jacob did not bury Joseph, so you will not bury any of your children.”
“God shall bless you with abundant wealth which he has prepared for you.”
“Whoever is wishing you evil shall be burnt to fire in Jesus’ name.”
“You and your family shall not answer the roll call of death.”
“Someone here shall win a solicited contract this week.”
“Very soon, you will smile and thank God for a fruit of the womb.”
“The enemies that blocked your blessings, you will not see any more after today.”
“If you confess that Jesus is Lord, all your problems will be solved.”
“Those who trust in Jesus cannot face difficulties. Your difficulties are conquered.”
It is important to ask how these things happen. How do you measure their fulfilment if they are not specifically pronounced instead of generalizing? Those who pronounce these will not entertain questions on them neither will their followers because to them, it is normal and taken for granted.
They attack anyone who questions the authentication and actualization of such prophesies. Most of these prophesies are made in the church and public space directing it to no one in particular. And there is no way to measure if such prophesies are authentic or not because whether such prophesies are made or not in such communities and society, people will still die, be deceived, succeed and fail in businesses, defeat and be defeated by their enemies as well as meet and fail to meet their goals in life.
God has provided all it takes to achieve anything in life. They are there at every nook and cranny of the society. So, whether you pray or not, some actions must be followed before they can be achieved. This means that you can achieve your goals with only works without prayers. You may also not achieve your aims with prayers only without works. So, why not concentrate on works and later thank God after their attainment if necessary.
One thing yet to be established is to know when prayers are answered as requested. This is because many actions take place whether prayers are said over them or not. For instance, people die, whether prayers are said or not. You can prevent this by taking appropriate medications instead of praying at that point. People become rich and poor whether prayers are said or not. So, it is more important to work towards this physically by following the appropriate method and strategy. People are born whether prayers are said or not. The process of achieving this is clear and will be achieved if followed appropriately.
When people ask you how you succeeded, tell them the process and stop saying; “It is God or by the grace of God.” God has granted his grace already after creating man. It is the responsibility of man to utilize such grace and opportunities. So specifically show the way to others. You are not adding anything to God by attributing all to him. You can neither add anything to God nor take away his nature from him if you praise him or not.
In most instances, prayer makes God look human and hears, considers, and answers or rejects requests. In most cases, people defend God and give reasons for him when prayers are not answered. Such people advocate for God because of the situations they have placed him. It makes God to be changeable and still dynamic. But is this the nature of God? God is all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere and in everything. He is for all and cannot be specific. God has provided everything human beings need in life. He has also given man the power to find solutions to any challenge; physical or spiritual. He has finished creating the world and is unchangeable.
God is not continually working everyday as man does. That’s why he is said to be unchangeable. He has put everything in place for man to discover and utilize. He wants all to love one another irrespective of tribe, religion, race and people. We must unite together in the effort to bring his kingdom on earth. What this means is to know God as he really is. At that time, everything would be perfect. We should therefore stop praying to God to do what we can do ourselves. It is just a waste of time.
God is not partial. Don’t thank him for preventing you from dying in an accident where others died. The dead are also his children. Accident is totally human and you didn’t survive because God loves you more. Don’t ask him to help you to pass examinations. If you read, you’d pass. Failure of examination is not failure in life. Do not pray that God should keep you alive. He has already done that. It is your duty to sustain your life. All must die. Nobody has control of death. Prepare yourself for death for it must come. God does not have some people he gives wealth and others he created poor. Human beings have equal opportunities.
At the fulfillment of time, there may not be death again. But for now, death is certain. Do not pray for visa to travel or for your container to be released. These are totally human processes. Don’t pray for male or female children. This is within human power granted to both believers and unbelievers. Bearing children is totally human. To be rich and successful are totally human. God does not choose those who will be rich and those to be poor. All have equal opportunities in life. The situation you are today is just by accident. There are circumstances that make one rich, poor, intelligent, black, white, speaks certain languages and live in a particular place. They are all by accident of nature but within the process of evolution desired by God.
So, use prayer to spiritually engage with God to enable you tap powers, wisdom, knowledge and understanding. That’s why King Solomon’s prayer was regarded as special. God is light, full of wisdom, love and peace. If we are connected with God in prayer (not usually oral wishful prayers), we will receive these abstract gifts from God. And they are open to all. When we pray meditatively, there will be total transformation from our natural self into the spiritual nature of God. This will enable us perform extraordinary acts because of the power acquired from such spiritual engagement.
