Why Do We Say “Just Pray”

Greetings Dear Reader,

So often I find that how we truly feel, think, or believe about things is reflected in how we speak of them. We reflect our feelings about events or past times not only in the emotion that we express but in the actual words we choose. I have caught myself saying something that I do not believe and wonder why I do.

The other day I told someone to just pray. I did not intend it as a platitude. I generally wished for the man to pray. Instead of handing him a suggestion that he harness one of the most powerful things in the universe, my suggestion came across as a limp attempt to placate his distress. My intent was anything but that.

It is one of those things that we just do. We do not know what to say or how to comfort someone so we offer a platitude. From time to time I forget that when I speak to God about anything I have the loving attention of the Master of the Universe. I do not me the little plastic guy from the cartoon. I mean the one in whom we “live and move and have our being.”

Saying to someone “just pray” becomes oxymoronic in this light. No one benefits from this and perhaps it lacks faith. When we sound like prayer is all we have to offer, it minimizes the power of that weapon. When I pray I ask God to act. He always hears and always knows what I need, even when I do not. The very fact that God is good means that no matter what I address with Him, the response will be in my best interest.

I am going to work hard to remove the “just” from my responses and to never again see prayer as commonplace even though it should be common.
Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."