Definition of Prayer

Your cravings as a human animal do not become a prayer just because it is God whom you must ask to attend to them. ~ Dag Hammarskjold

When we come to the rooms of recovery
if we’ve a history with a body of faith,
we arrive having prayed, ardently, often,
fervently,  seeking relief from addiction.
We’ve claimed, “whatever you ask in my name,”
“pray without ceasing,” the lesson of repetition.
And nothing happened — at least nothing real,
nothing lasting, nothing solving the problem.
We look at Step Two askance, wishing to believe
but knowing the futility. Still, we’ve said we’d try…
and we do, again and again, until finally
directing God as to how to fix us, asking
for the things we know we need…
until we give up and grasp the difference
in praying for God to do our will
and in knowing we’ll gladly do
whatever we’re told to, what he beckons.

fear