Dynamics of Prayer for Solving Problems

1. Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the Manifestations as they have the greatest power. Then remain in the silence of contemplation for a few minutes.
2. Arrive at a decision and hold this. This decision is usually born during contemplation. It may seem almost impossible of accomplishment but if it seems to be as answer to a prayer or a way of solving the problem, then immediately take the next step.
3. Have determination to carry the decision through. Many fail here. The decision, budding into determination, is blighted and instead becomes a wish or a vague longing. When determination is born, immediately take the next step.
4. Have faith and confidence that the power will flow through you, the right way will appear, the door will open, the right thought, the right message, the right principle, or the right book will be given you. Have confidence and the right thing will come to your need. Then as you rise from prayer, take at once the 5th step.
5. Act as though it had all been answered. then act with tireless, ceaseless energy. And as you act, you, yourself, will become a magnet, which will attract more power to your being, until you become an unobstructed channel for the Divine power to flow through you.

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Many pray but do not remain for the last half of the first step. Some who meditate arrive at a decision, but fail to hold it. Few have the determination to carry the decision through, still fewer have the confidence that the right thing will come to their need. But how many remember to act as though it had all been answered? How true are these words "Greater than the prayer is the spirit in which it is uttered" and greater than the way it is uttered is the spirit in which it is carried out.

Shoghi Effendi (Pilgrim note)

Cleansing the Mirror of the Heart from Jealousy and Envy

The other day, I was discussing a statement on jealousy and envy with my Junior Youth Group.

Cleansing the mirror of the heart from jealousy and envy.

I asked why do we feel jealous? One answered because others have what that we don’t have. Another answered because we think that what other people have is better than what we have.

About.com explains that the three common causes for jealousy are

1. Unmet expectations
2. A sense of entitlement
3. Insecurity

While the ways to overcome jealousy includes:

• Stop comparing yourself to other people
• Stop worrying about you all the time
• Stop wanting what other people have if you’re  not willing to go through what they did to get it
• Start focusing on all that’s positive in your life

Then I asked, “So how do we cleanse the mirror of our hearts from jealousy and envy?” We had a short discussion and came out with a brief conclusion.

                We should be grateful with all that we have. Every individual has their own strengths and weaknesses. Others may have something that we don’t have but we also have something that others don’t. If we are truly grateful and thankful for who we are and what we have, we would have cleansed the mirror of our hearts from jealousy and envy.