THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
May my prayer ascend to You, motivated by my longing for Your everlasting grace. I release it into Your ears, hoping it will not falter along the journey. Even if the blessings I request are delayed, I remain confident that they will arrive in due time. It is known from the account of transgressions that a man pleaded with God but was not heard for his own benefit. The trials of this life led him to seek You; amidst his temporal sufferings, he yearned for them to cease and for the vitality of life to return. He cried, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” This reflects Christ, speaking on behalf of His body.
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He proclaimed, “All the day long have I cried unto Thee, but Thou dost not hear,” and “by night,” He lamented, “and I am not heard.” Even in His unanswered pleas, there lies a divine wisdom that teaches us how to seek You appropriately.
For the requests we make may not truly align with our needs. You seek wealth, dear friend; yet many have lost their way in the quest for riches. How can you ascertain that wealth is beneficial? Have not many a poor soul, content in obscurity, found safety, while those who gained wealth became vulnerable to the strong? It might have been wiser for them to remain hidden, valued not for their possessions but for their character! Thus, in matters concerning the temporal, we entreat you, brethren, in the Lord, to request nothing as if it were guaranteed, but only what God sees fit for your lives. For you are not aware of what is truly best for you. At times, what you perceive as advantageous may work against you, and what you view as a setback may actually serve your good.
Remember your condition; allow not the patient to dictate the treatment to the physician. If the Apostle Paul, teacher of the Gentiles, attested, “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought,” much less can we. Even he, when he felt his prayer was wise—asking for the removal of the thorn in his flesh inflicted by an angel of Satan to prevent his pride—was met with the response from the Lord: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” I have treated the wound as needed, knowing well when to apply and when to withdraw the salve. The ailing must remain under the care of the physician without offering counsel on their healing. The same holds true for all earthly matters. Trials abound; if you sincerely worship God, trust that He knows what is truly good for every soul. There exist prosperities; guard your spirit against being led astray from the One who has provided all.