DO PRAYERS AND BLESSINGS WORK? YES BUT NOT EXACTLY HOW MOST HUMANS WOULD LIKE

People sometimes ask me to pray for them. I always do. But sometimes they wonder: why did I not pass that exam when you were praying and blessing me. The answer is perhaps that was not to be for you at that particular time. Possibly a greater lesson is needed in your life and that is the lesson of humbleness or the lesson of proper preparation. Or perhaps a greater blessing is on the way. There is an expression: Repetition is the mother of skill, so actually if you enjoy the journey of doing something again you could actually learn and benefit more from your endeavors.

If you have always passed an exam first time, how will you understand another who has not. If you get that best job straight away, how will you understand another who has not yet bagged that perfect job.

THE MUSLIM APPROACHPractising Muslims undergo Ramadan purely to remember what it is like to go without food and drink for a long time. This is to understand how the needy feel and to make us more understanding of the plight of such people. It may also give us spiritual benefits such as developing inner strength that we can then use as outer strength when we face challenges along the way.

THE CHRISTIAN VIEWIn The Lord's Prayer we say Thy (Your) will be done on earth. So let God bestow blessings on you, whatever they may be. You do your part by praying every day. You do your part by thanking the blessings that do come your way.

THE GREATEST BLESSINGIf you start with the premise that the greatest blessing is life itself, then everything you achieve in this life is a blessing. With this approach in mind, you will be a lot happier and ironically go on to achieve greater success.

THE NATURE OF BLESSINGSBlessings are spiritual in nature. Blessings from God are for spiritual blessings not necessarily material blessings. Although there is an overlap as the material and spiritual world are interlinked. So blessings for good health are both spiritual and material. Blessings for wealth are spiritual and material, but it may be that you cannot bless always for specific things.

Blessings are spiritual first before they become material, they are for simple things such as health, wealth and success in a spiritual way but then overflow into the material world. Pray for spiritual riches such as strength and then strength will manifest in the material world and give you the power to power you in the material world, for example.

WHAT BLESSINGS ARE AND ARE NOT. REAL BLESSINGS VERSUS ILLUSIONSYou cannot force blessings. They are just there. You appreciate the blessings you have, you nurture the blessings you have. You treat the blessings you already have as if they are like flowers. They need nurturing to keep them in full bloom. Life is like a hand of cards: you have to play the cards as best you can. Make the most of what blessings you have. Sadness and frustration come when you try to force blessings in a particular way and pray for specific things that do not materialise. Look again for the real blessings: this is the antidote to sadness and frustration.

May I take this opportunity to bless you. Bless you.