Blog - November 20, 2022
Day 20 : The November Happiness Challenge 2022
Prayer
Off the top of my head, the song that comes in when I see or think of this topic is :”
Prayer is the key, Prayer is the key, Prayer is the master key“, which is a popular christian song that we all learnt while growing up. It was fun to sing because of the rythm it had and it wasn’t hard to learn the words at all. Thinking of it now, it isn’t just a song, it is a very powerful message that carries a deep meaning, because truly, Prayer is the master key. It isn’t a coincidence that this topic is also coming on a Sunday, which is considered a holy day.
I first got introduced to Prayers when I was little, it was a learning by followership situation as I saw my parents and people around me always saying their prayers and I followed suit. I didn’t really understand what it meant, it was just a routine that I knew I had to follow as it was the right thing. Understanding the importance of Prayers started dawning when I was about writing my final exams in Secondary school. You know what they say, we all remember God better when we seek His help or when we are in fear about something. Yes, that was my situation, I didn’t want to fail WAEC and I just knew I had to talk to a higher body to seek His help, which other way to do this than to intensify my prayers which weren’t so frequent before.
Fortunately for me, I got to the University and met a lady who we clicked immediately. She was very conscious of our religion and didn’t joke with her prayers at all. I liked her a lot because she was there for me in many ways and I really admired her kindness and approach to things. She started living in my hostel and was directly opposite my room. She’d wake me in the morning and implore me to pray, and this would go on for the entire day. It was such a subtle and yet beautiful approach, as I didn’t mind being like her at all.
I became the person who wouln’t go a day without saying her complete prayers and If night came without me being through, I’d feel an emptiness and ensure that I completed it. This was my journey to the perfection of my prayers and even though I can’t consider myself perfect right now, I am thankful that I have really come a long way and I am now that person who people look at and get encouraged to say their prayers. It is very beautiful and liberating, I tell you. If you pray constantly and you maintain good behaviour while at it, I promise you that you’d live a lighter and more fulfilling life.
Someone once said that saying your prayers is bare minimum and I had to refute that. I understand that in the religion I practise, one of the most important things that make you identify with the religion is observing the obligatory prayers, but I do not think that it is bare minimum. If it was, many people wouldn’t struggle with it so much and everyone would find it easy to do. Also, the many injunctions that come with being genuine and complete with your prayers already cover how to avoid sins and be a better person all through. How can this be bare minimum?
I pray about the most random things, simple things that you’d laugh about when you hear them. I have seen responses to prayers within the twinkle of an eye and I have also been in situations where I had to wait for a long time before seeing a semblance of my prayer being answered. An example of a prayer being answered immediately is one time I was standing under the sun at Ajah when I still lived in Lagos. Many cars were passing by filled to the brim and it seemed like I was going to get to work late, I didn’t know what to do and the sun was really scorching. I started saying a prayer to God to send me a car that could take me even if it was almost filled up and alas a car stopped for someone to alight. I went into the car and the driver was talking about how the person was going elsewhere and I was lucky to get it. I was so thankful! To me, my prayer worked at that moment and no one can tell me otherwise o. I have many such examples.
I understand and admit that it can be very tough when we keep praying and we don’t seem to see any immediate result, and then it begins to look like we are just praying in vain. Please, don’t relent or lose hope, God has you covered and always remember that a No could be an answered prayer to. Perhaps you plan for something and God has a bigger plan for you, and who is the best of planners? You know the answer. We are mortals, and if we are believers, we need to constantly hold on to our belief in God and that He would surely answer our prayers. When in doubt, in need, overjoyed, sad, happy, confused, excited ,overwhelmed, feeling good, e.t.c, please pray!
Do not joke with your prayers, they really work and we should be seen and known as the prayerful ones. Find your own way of speaking to your God and tell Him your requests. He listens!
What is your relationship with Prayers? Do you believe in Prayers? Do you believe that they work? You can also share an instance of answered prayer that you have expereienced.
I’ll be back.
OBA
Badmus
Hmm this is another brilliant piece that hit close. This year has been a rollercoaster for me and each time I am about to fall, I dust my prayer mat and it works like magic. I pray and hope Allah gives me the strength to be consistent in completing all my daily prayers as at when due. 🙏🏾
Damilola
This topic ! Prayer! One thing about me is no matter what,I pray.When something good happens to me,the first thing I do is pray and when it’s the other way,I pray too.My WhatsApp people can testify to how much I remind them via status to pray.My faith in God is so deep that I believe he answers prayers,the one he doesn’t answer are the ones that aren’t beneficial to me and that’s on period! May I never see what will discourage me from praying 🤲
Ifeoluwa
I don’t joke with my prayers at all oh. Very important part of my day and my life. And I’m enjoying teaching my children to pray. I’m a Christian and I grew up seeing people smash their head on the wall and the floor…as much as they can so whatever works for them, I personallt understand that prayer is communication between me and my Father. And because of His unconditional love for me, I should approach Him with confidence in the place of prayer. Prayer and faith go hand-in-hand. After praying to my Father, my responsibility is to believe (have faith) that He’s heard me. I don’t only lay my requests, I also gist Him about my day and worship HIm. Prayers have worked for me many times. Prayers have healed my children with and without taking them to the hospital. Prayers have protected my family and I MANY times. Prayers have helped me to break myself daily to love and accept people’s flaws. Yes. In the place of prayer, God can tell chastise you for something you’ve done and instruct you on how to fix the situation and most importantly, YOURSELF.
Kheffytee
Prayer for me isn’t a bare minimum, I wont subscribe to that. My relationship with prayers is now very well and way better, I made a conscious effort year ago about not missing my prayers, I am at a stage now that if I don’t complete my prayers I feel miserable. It takes a lot of effort, may almighty make it easy for us. When my prayers aren’t answered, I think of the answered ones while waiting patiently for the ones in line. May all our beneficial prayers be answered.
Ope Shitta
This topic is relatable, I believe in prayers because I grew up seeing my parents pray to God for something and it happening, infact it made me think God was an human being who just lived in the sky, lol.
Then as I began to grow older,I saw that doing life alone without praying wasn’t it, I learnt to start asking God for the things I wanted including the silliest ones ,like finding perfect shoes or a dress that fits me, and with the type of religion I practice I understand that even when I don’t get what I’ve prayed for, my prayers are answered still .
A case of answered prayers for me was last year when I was so sick, I was dying and I’ll go to bed reciting the shahadah because I was tired of the pain I was going through, months had passed & I wasn’t getting any better even after going to different hospitals, then one day I was alone, with tears in my eyes, I screamed and prayed to God that if I was going to get better(not matter how long it would take) , he should show me a sign & if I wasn’t going to , he should take me in my sleep that night, shortly after the prayer I slept off…. I woke up the next day, it was the morning of Big sallah, I told my mom I was so hungry & she was surprised because I hadn’t eaten in 6months before then, I just knew my healing had come , I went on emergency to the hospital that day, had my second surgery that the doctors had been stalling for, and from that day onward my health has been in a better place . I’m overtly thankful for answered prayers.
Ruqayyah
Pray is really the master key. Thank you OBA
Rukayat
Hmmn. This piece hit hard. Alhamdulilah for the gift of everything. I am trying to be a better muslim. May Allah help me 🤲
Olatoun
Prayer is so important to me. My whole life is a living proof that prayer works and I am thankful for it. Alhamdulillah
Temitope
Prayers work my sister, there is nothing I don’t pray about. In fact the recent thing I have been praying about was for God to take away my spirit of anger and fill me with love and I honestly can’t tell you how amazing I feel now, can’t remember the last time I got really upset. If I pray about something and I don’t get it, o thank God, it means it wasn’t mine or I’m not ready to receive it