Prayers of the Heart
In a quiet corner of the city, John sat in his dimly lit room, his head bowed in prayer. His life, as he saw it, was a never-ending struggle. He prayed for his circumstances to change, for his job to become more fulfilling, for his financial burdens to ease, and for his relationships to mend. Yet, no matter how fervently he prayed, it seemed as though the universe remained deaf to his pleas.
One day, as he walked through the park, his gaze fell upon an elderly man sitting on a weathered bench, a serene smile gracing his wrinkled face. John couldn't help but strike up a conversation, and as the two spoke, John found himself sharing his frustrations about his seemingly unanswered prayers.
The old man listened patiently, then gently offered a perspective that would transform John's life. "My dear friend," he said, "perhaps you've been asking for the wrong things. Instead of praying for circumstances to change or people to change, have you ever considered praying to feel love in your heart?"
John was skeptical, but he was also weary of his futile prayers. He decided to give it a try, though he couldn't imagine how simply feeling love in his heart could change his life.
So, that evening, in the stillness of his room, John began to pray differently. He closed his eyes and focused on his heart, whispering, "Let me feel love in my heart, for myself and for others." He repeated this prayer night after night, allowing the words to seep into his soul.
To his amazement, something incredible began to happen. His once-turbulent relationships started to shift. People who had once been distant or combative now seemed more open and understanding. John found himself more patient, forgiving, and empathetic toward others.
His circumstances also began to change. While his job remained the same, his perspective on it shifted. He saw opportunities for growth and positive change that he had previously overlooked. Unexpected financial blessings came his way, providing relief from his worries.
But the most remarkable transformation occurred within John himself. He felt a newfound sense of joy and happiness, a deep well of contentment that seemed to spring from his heart. It was as if the act of praying for love had filled his life with an abundance of it.
As days turned into weeks and weeks into months, John continued to pray for love in his heart. He marveled at the beauty of his transformed life and the richness of his relationships. The burdens that had once weighed him down seemed lighter, and he approached each day with a sense of gratitude and wonder.
He had discovered the true power of prayer—praying not for external changes, but for the transformation of his own heart. In the process, he had unlocked a wellspring of love and happiness that had always resided within him, waiting to be tapped.
John cherished this newfound way of praying, for it had brought him the greatest gift of all—love, both for himself and for the world around him. He had learned that when the heart is filled with love, everything else falls into place, and life becomes a journey of joy and fulfillment.
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Say your own Prayers of the Heart with our journal of the same name. Loosely based on the poem called "Ask to Feel Love" by Linda Osberg Higgins
