On the Minister's Mind

with Rev. Dieter Randolph

We pray for a lot of things. We pray for healing, love, prosperity. We pray for freedom from and freedom to. Most of all, though, I think we pray for change. Whatever the challenge, the problem, the dream, the aspiration, it’s already handled in Spirit. We just have to get out of the way.

God, in other words, is not in process. God’s got this. You and I are in process, however. We are in the process of learning who we are, living that life to the best of our ability, and so on. With that in mind, a healthy prayer tends to be one in which we ask for that process to happen with intention. Let’s ask for the hearts and smarts we need in order to move forward in peace, but on purpose. Romans 12:2 tells us that transformation begins when we change our minds. Let’s start there. Let’s pray for change.

There’s a problem with praying for change, though. It changes things. I know that must seem like a silly thing to say. However, that revelation can come as a bit of a shock. There’s a magical, and sometimes bittersweet, surprise that happens when the old negative triggers no longer trigger us, when the sore spots aren’t sore any more, and even when convenient sources of blame are suddenly blameless.

You have grown. You are growing still. As a result, the old relationships, situations, and pet theories will have to evolve, too. If not, you’ll find yourself setting them aside. And that’s okay. You’re not a kid anymore. If you tried to fit into the Buster Browns that were perfect for you in kindergarten, you’ll only mess up the shoes and hurt your feet. It’s okay to move on.

When you do something correctly, when you find right-use-ness, you might experience some discomfort along the way. It can even feel like persecution, as the old drama doesn’t find a foothold in you and those perpetuating it try and find a different way to connect. There’s nothing wrong with growing pains, as long as we identify with the former and not the latter. It’s okay to move on.