The answer
The purpose of prayer is to keep the relationship between God and the person alive and effective. Therefore, we should consider the following when we pray:
a. Trust in God who has complete love for humanity, ability, wisdom, and knowledge
(cf. Col. 2:2; Eccl. 8:17).
b. Pray for the will of God in every matter, for He is the Pantocrator: “Thy will be done”
(Matt. 6:10).
c. Offer prayer from a heart that is unsoiled and pure.
d. Begin every prayer with thanksgiving for the things that God has granted us, for there
is no gift that is not increased except that which is received without thanksgiving, according to St. Isaac the Syrian.
e. Believe in the verse that says, “Unless the lord builds the house, they labor in vain
who built it” (Ps. 127:1).
f. Acknowledge that divine grace works in synergy with human striving. The Lord
saved the child Moses and at the same time He rewarded the two midwives for ignoring pharaoh’s evil decree (Ex. 1:20).
St. Basil the Great says, “There are conditions for a prayer to be answered: it must be according to the will of God (Matt. 26:39); we must be steadfast and persistent (Luke 11:8); we must realize that God’s wants us to reform our conduct, which is much more important than answering our prayers (Isa. 1:15); we must be aware of our unworthiness of that for which we ask (1 Chron. 17:4) or the unworthiness of those for whom we pray (Jer. 14:11); and that sometimes the lack of an answer to prayer is preferable to it being answered (2 Cor. 12:7) … If all these conditions are met, then there is no doubt that God will answer our prayers.”44
Abba Zeno says, “If a man wants God to hear his prayer quickly, then before he prays for anything else, even his own soul, when he stands and stretches out his hands towards God, he must pray with all his heart for his enemies. Through this action God will hear everything that he asks.”45
“Abba Macarius was asked, ‘How should one pray?’ The old man said, ‘There is no need at all to make long discourses; it is enough to stretch out one’s hands and say, “Lord, as you will, and as you know, have mercy.” And if the conflict grows fiercer say, “Lord, help!” He knows very well what we need and he shews us his mercy.’”46
Abba Isaac says, “For so far will one be heard and obtain an answer, as he believes that he is regarded by God, and that God can grant it. For this saying of our Lord cannot be retracted: ‘Whatsoever you ask when you pray, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you’ (Mark 11:24).”47
St. John Cassian says, “He is quite certain that his prayers will not be answered. Who is this wretch? It is he who prays and does not believe that he will receive an answer.”
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
Notes
44 St. Basil of Caesarea, Regulae Brevis Tractatae (The Short Rules) 261 (PG 31:1257–1258).
45 Ward, Benedicta. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans., Benedicta Ward (Liturgical Press, 1984) Zeno 7: p. 65.
46 Ward, Benedicta. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans., Benedicta Ward (Liturgical Press, 1984) Macarius the Great 19: p. 131.
47 St. John Cassian, The Conferences 9.32 (NPNF II/11:398) amended.