prayer and traffic signs
"It was at that very hour, the father realized, that Jesus had told him, 'Your son is going to live.' " —John 4:53
Prayer, of course, is not informing or persuading God. He is all-knowing and all-loving. Prayer is God informing and persuading us. Prayer is not an attempt to get our will done. Rather, we pray so we can know and do God's will. In our prayer, God persuades us in His love to change our ways rather than do our own thing.
Therefore, we don't need to keep asking God for something unless this helps us know and surrender to His will. Repetition in petitioning God is for our benefit, not for God's. When we let God get through to us, our prayer is answered. Then we should stop asking and start thanking. We're not waiting for God to answer our prayer, but He is waiting for us to let Him answer our prayer. The moment our prayer is answered is not when we see it answered but when we yield to God's will. For example, the prayer of the royal official in today's Gospel reading was answered at 1 PM (Jn 4:52). He found out about it the next day.
Those who have surrendered their lives to God don't repeat their petitions much. They mostly thank God for constantly and quickly answering their prayers. Ask God simply; yield totally; stop asking; thank greatly.
Prayer: Father, in prayer may I understand that, after I obey the "Yield" sign, the next sign is "Stop," followed by "Thank."
Promise: "Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind." —Is 65:17
Praise: Turibius, an archbishop, went to Confession daily.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, July 26, 1997
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 29, 1997