Do You Limit Your Ask?

-many ask for “things”

I thought about and journal about the need for prayer and meditation yesterday. Meditation is a listening skill.
I was familiar with prayer. As a child, I learned to pray in Sunday school and even in real school. We said grace before meals, and the like.
As my life became more confused, and addictions and other behavior took over, I prayed much less and when I did, there was a lot of asking for “stuff” or plea bargaining.
Plea bargaining took forms like “God, if you get me off this time and/or get me through this one and/or give me this, then I’ll never do that and/or ask for that again.” I’d bet I’m not the only one who is familiar with this type of prayer.
What I was taught and try to practice daily is to ask for only two simple things, for knowledge (and sometimes this comes in meditation) for my higher power’s will for me, and the internal power to carry it out. My higher power expects me to do the right thing, and that is not always what my self-will tells me to do. Often HP’s will requires power to carry through, and sometimes, I exercise the free will my trusting higher power has given me, and it is not infrequent when I do this I pay a consequence.
Funny how that works!
To maintain the progress I’ve made, I must insure that humility and service to others is a part of my life. I must remain conscious that my defects of character remain just below the surface, and that I am not “cured” of my addictions. If I keep conscious contact on a daily basis, I get a daily reprieve, and that is truly good enough for me.
If things remain in balance, I ask my HP for the same thing on a daily basis, knowledge of will and strength to do it! Often, I take the time to express gratitude for the blessings I have received, and do not ask for more. I seem to get what I need when I need it!
So in prayer, I have really focused on limiting what I ask for. There truly is a power greater than me at work, and if I allow consciousness of that fact, good things seem to happen!
I am careful to limit what I ask for in prayer. Are you?
Prayer and meditation are an extremely important part, and in equal parts, of the maintenance of hope and serenity in my daily life. I must remember to be grateful!