But not always. Where prayer does not appeared to be answered, it is believed that God knows the "bigger plan" and what you prayed for was not a part of that plan. Then one is reminded, "God does not give you more than you can handle." Prayer is the occult science of verbiage that leads to miracles large and small. Yet even though many of these outcomes cannot be explained, they are not considered "magic", because it was God's choice to do or change these things.
The other "magic" or "miracle" part of prayer, even without the prayer being answered, is a relief that you can take the burden and put it with God. "Let go, and let God" comes to mind. But this raises a question about response to prayer: If no one prayed, what would the outcome have been? Is God involved even when no one prays? Does what we pray, our spoken word, guide events? The Bible states that in the beginning, God is "word" and we use "words" to pray. God is in all things, being as He is the creator, but is God then also the words we speak? Especially when it comes to prayer?
God does not necessarily answer prayers as one would have them answered. But prayers are answered. Even when it seems like they are not. One time I was in a lot of pain and asked God for relief but the pain persisted all day. (It was the flu.) God did not respond to my prayers, at least not in a timely manner. It shook me up. (There is a lesson in my experience with God around that issue. ) Perhaps because my prayer was only in my mind and not spoken out loud... or God was teaching me to be patient...?
The Kabbalah teaches that God must be invited and that humans have a great deal more power over whether or not God intervenes in our lives and on the planet. According to the Kabbalah, God did not "drive Adam and Eve out of The Garden of Eden", no, Adam drove God out (God left because He was not wanted)... So, news to me, and maybe you - according to Kabbalah, we are in Eden right now... and the only time God intervenes is when he is invited. He is invited by the sound of your "words".
Mysticism of Kabbalah has been a guarded secret until recently. Just in the last three years much information has been put on the Internet about Kabbalah and the Zohar, Kabbalah's primarily read book of teachings. Much in the Kabbalah teachings focuses on how we invite God to be in our lives. Those of God's works recorded in the Bible as Miracles appear to have been done for His own mysterious purposes, a reaching out, to communicate with Humans. As a people, it is believed that we might hold some sway with God: Words as in prayer, chanting, or songs sung in repetition are some ways the "word" is used in prayer and supplication. Once again, the word is God and we speak the "words".
Like many people, I believe in God because I have had that one mystical experience. Personally, I don't need further proof. How it all works remains an intriguing mystery though. Understanding it "all" is personally unimportant and probably an impossible task. It seems that being present in life, family and community acts as the humans' destiny on earth.
That being said, a rock solid faith in God can mean anything. The point is to remain honest with yourself. If something does not feel "right", step away from it and, for example, examine cause and effect out come possibilities. Not knowing the whole truth, means your mind is alive with questions, ideas and life, full of growth, forming authentic truth based on reading, learning from others and reflecting on everything, everything. Studying the history of religions, human history, cultural development, the human brain studies, and mysticism in human culture helps create a picture of humans intersecting with God through the occult science of verbiage. You are welcome to respond with ideas of your own. I respect, with an open mind, your own experiences.
Like many people, I believe in God because I have had that one mystical experience. Personally, I don't need further proof. How it all works remains an intriguing mystery though. Understanding it "all" is personally unimportant and probably an impossible task. It seems that being present in life, family and community acts as the humans' destiny on earth.
That being said, a rock solid faith in God can mean anything. The point is to remain honest with yourself. If something does not feel "right", step away from it and, for example, examine cause and effect out come possibilities. Not knowing the whole truth, means your mind is alive with questions, ideas and life, full of growth, forming authentic truth based on reading, learning from others and reflecting on everything, everything. Studying the history of religions, human history, cultural development, the human brain studies, and mysticism in human culture helps create a picture of humans intersecting with God through the occult science of verbiage. You are welcome to respond with ideas of your own. I respect, with an open mind, your own experiences.
I have edited this post frequently and am still not entirely convinced that it conveys exactly what I am attempting to communicate. If I get around to rewriting it, I will post it as (edited) in the title. In the meantime, I'll be looking at some other ideas on mysticism or looking in more detail at mystic literature of various belief systems. (I await further questions from Asia, who is currently very busy with her scholastic persuits as we speak!)
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