Dangerous prayers. Think carefully before you pray like that.

Sometimes we are frustrated and confused by the fact that there is no direct answer to prayer. Today I want to touch upon this question: Is it good that God does not answer some prayers immediately, until a person realizes what he/she is asking for?

David's Psalm 26, where he makes a very definite request, brought me to this thought:

Vindicate me, O Lord, For I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.

Doesn't that sound like a dangerous prayer to you?

It looks like a college student, graduated with high merits, going to take a fifth grade math exam. It's like if a master athlete, such as a swimmer, were competing against elementary school-aged children. The examples are so-so, of course, but that's what it looks like.

Look at how confidently David offers God to test him for purity. He has absolutely no doubts about his success. He is confident that he will pass God's proposed test.

I sometimes come to the conclusion that there are a number of dangerous prayers, a number of petitions that we should voice with some caution.

Imagine that you actually prayed such a prayer so that God could test you, determine the level and quality of your, let's call it, righteousness. And God took your prayer under consideration and decided to grant your request. So, you don't know when this examination will take place, you don't know what it will consist of, and most importantly, you don't know how painful it may be.

What if God starts to test whether you can endure and display patience, therefore He sends you some serious difficulties, the most difficult circumstances to observe with the whole Universe how do you cope with it all?

What if He decides to test your ability to forgive and sends you an offender who will wear out your nerves, destroy your well-being, and you will have to respond positively to all this?

David just amazes me with the directness of his request: Purify my mind and my heart. The same verse in The Bible in Basic English translation sounds even more direct: let the fire make clean my thoughts and my heart.

It's like he's offering to melt it and see. We used to melt lead or tin as kids and pour all sorts of figures out of it. That's what David is suggesting. Melt it and see. If there are any impurities, they'll come out and you'll see the full quality of my purity. He is just sure that there are no impurities in his heart, nothing to float out when it is melted down.

And look what he says at the end of the Psalm:

I will walk in my integrity; Redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the Lord.

Once two disciples, two brothers, came to Jesus and asked, no less than one to sit on his right side and the other on his left. Both of them were convinced that they were worthy of this honor. It is noteworthy that Christ answered them, "You do not know what you ask. And to clarify His answer, He specified: " Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."

It seems to me that in response to David's prayer, "Test me, melt me, determine the quality of my integrity, and reward me according to my deeds," heaven was simply reverently silent. It could have answered, as it did to the disciples: you do not know what you are asking.

Reflecting on this topic, I come to the conclusion that humility has never hurt anyone. Especially in our relationship with God. Maybe God is silent on some issues, because in our prayers we sort of “unintentionally” argue that our requests should be answered, because we are not bad people and our purity could be taken into account to some extent.

For myself, I am once again convinced and make a decision: we should pray carefully, realizing what can be the consequences of prayer. If we ask God to teach us, to correct us, to change us, we should be ready that. He will take our request seriously and start the process of teaching us. And in the process of this process, let us learn instead of grumbling and crying, "Spare me, God, from various difficulties and troubles.

I want to conclude with this thought: let us pray consciously. Let us be aware of how God can answer these prayers. From what slags He can cleanse our purity and on what fire He will melt it.

I think that in such a matter, we should first of all give God the opportunity to make a decision Himself. Do not rush things. Let him lead each of us. He educates us carefully and gradually, so that spiritual knowledge and skills are acquired naturally and become a part of our spiritual consciousness.

I wish you good and positive testimonies in your prayer life and, of course, as usual - blessed days.