Whenever I read about someone complaining of problems online, I always comment that prayer for the conversion of sinners is the key. Of course not everybody agrees with me. The old me wouldn't even believe the me now if I heard that. 😂 I didn't care about such things back then so why would anyone who reads it? 😆 That is why I am writing this.
A woman praying the rosary. | (photo source)
Why Pray?
We usually only pray for ourselves and then sometimes for other people. But why is this important? Can prayer to God really do wonders?
Well, personally I never used to pray much even as a kid except before I sleep at night. Keeps the nightmares away I tell 'ya. Nothing else can stop nightmares (and even bangungot or Sudden Unexplained Death Syndrome!) except prayers to God. If you don't get bad dreams of course you will scoff at such talk. 😂
As we humans say, it is always, "To see is to believe," just like Doubting Thomas. But God and even Mama Mary says, blessed are those who believe even if they do not see. Even if we do not believe in prayers, once you do pray it will have an immediate effect!
source
Let us not scoff at the power of God and praying to Him! Is it God who will be at a loss if we do not pray for ourselves and others? Of course not!
If praying before sleeping at night can give us a peaceful sleep, what more when we pray the rosary, angelus, and other prayers everyday?
- Does Praying For Other People Really Do Anything?
- Discarding More Misconceptions About Praying to God
- Why Pray When Everything is Supposedly Predestined?
Why Should We Change and Discard the Sinful Life?
We've heard it all before, "Repent! For the Kingdom of God is at hand!" And yet nobody is listening. Heck I didn't bother for years. What did I care about repentance? I wanted to get rich, that's what's up! 😂
Only when we are faced with great difficulty do we remember to call on God. Unfortunate to some but I still consider it a fortunate time. There is no better way for us humans to think of returning to God's flock except when we're in dire straits. Imho, blessed are those who never experience hardships and yet got inspired to be converted, revert or have a renewal of faith!
source
Everyday, we must resolve to sin no more as much as we can. This is not easy without our determination and the grace from God. And we cannot be in a state of grace if we don't:
- confess our sins frequently
- go to mass every Sunday without fail, including Holy Days of Obligation
- do daily prayers (rosary, angelus, 3 o'clock prayer, etc.)
Aside from that... "Penance, Penance, Penance," the angel of God said to the children of Fatima. We are also called to do such aside from just praying all the time.
Why change from being a sinner to a follower of God? Well, why not? Look at the world now, it's full of sh|t. So many people are crying out due to many injustices, complaining about having a difficult life, greedy people all around.
We've heard it all before; world news is filled with bad news! Even social media is full of negativity and toxicity. We read about somebody's spouse cheating again, the neighbor stole their food or whatever, a friend spread fake news about someone who is innocent, somebody committed suicide, or someone raped then stabbed a child to death. Oh what a mess this world is. Still think we don't need to pray, change ourselves and follow God's commandments?
Never Doubt the Power of Prayer and Repentance
In one social media site I frequent, I always say we must pray for others and pray for the conversion of sinners. And there's always that one person who'll say it's not gonna help or another says it's not enough. "Oh ye of little faith." I know it is difficult to accept because I've been there.
source
However, it is not up to me to change others. Whoever wants to listen will hear, as Jesus said in the Bible. After all God is the ultimate source of our overall conversion and sanctification. No matter how many times we tell someone to change, they will not change. People will scoff at us!
It's already hard to remove our bad habits so how can telling or commanding someone to change make them do it completely? Well, if we pray for others, God does the impossible! He converts evil sinners to holy saints! Perfect example is St. Paul who wrote so many things we can read in the New Testament.
When we also read about the lives and writings of saints, we'll know how God works through our prayers! The faithful are part of the Church, the bride of Christ. We Christians are the Body while Jesus is the Head. So our actions (like prayers) for the sake of others count!
If you think you can change someone else, think again. Yes you can if you're a psychiatrist or psychologist and a patient comes to you, it is possible. Yes it is possible if a penitent sinner goes to Church and confesses frequently and even ask the priest for spiritual direction. Other than that, don't think you can change someone else other than yourself. 😂 Only prayer can change even the hardest criminal. 🙏
As I've been saying for years, we can't change other people, only ourselves. And I previously stated and let me add this, only God can completely change anyone and fully sanctify us through our cooperation! Just ask any priest, or better yet, do your own research on it.
As Mama Mary keeps saying, pray for the conversion of sinners. Even as Queen of Heaven or Our Lady of Champion (formerly Good Help), she asks for conversion of sinners by offering the communion we receive!
source
After all, praying for other people especially our enemies means we are growing more in love/charity. That is the number one problem we have, many of us only know how to hate ourselves and other people. I've definitely been there, done that after 2020.
The less love in our hearts, the more we hurt other people. And so dear reader, we must pray more to help others. Let's stop complaining and start praying and repenting!
We are all called to be holy so we can enter Heaven at the end of our lives. Let us also decide to change ourselves now and follow God's commandments before it's too late.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment. 😉
