LIMITING BELIEFS – WHY YOU SOMETIMES DON’T GET WHAT YOU WANT

Not all prayers are answered. Everyone knows that. Skeptics see this as evidence that prayer does not work. What they overlook is that for prayer to work it must be used effectively, with a clear understanding of it’s scientific basis. 

What if you find your prayers are not answered as you would like? What then? You must understand the principal reasons for such failure. These are: lack of confidence and too much effort. Many people block answers to their prayers by failing to fully comprehend the workings of their subconscious mind. When you know how your mind functions, you gain a measure of confidence. 

Your failure to get results may be a consequence of mentally making negative statements such as: 

• Things are getting worse
• I will never get an answer
• I see no way out
• It is hopeless
• I don’t know what to do
• I am all mixed up and I’m not sure what to do 

When you use such statements, you get no response or co-operation from God (your subconscious mind). 

If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. (Matthew 18:19) 

Who are these two who are spoken of? They stand for the harmonious union or agreement between your conscious and subconscious mind on any idea, desire, or mental image (thought). When there is no longer any quarrel between the different parts of your mind, your prayer will be answered. The two agreeing may also be represented as you and your desire, your thought and feeling, your idea and emotion, your desires and imagination. 

You must remember that whenever your subconscious mind accepts any idea or thought, it immediately begins to execute it. It uses all its mighty resources to that end. It mobilizes all the mental and spiritual laws of your deeper mind. This law is true for good thoughts, but it holds true for bad thoughts as well. Consequently, if you use your subconscious mind negatively, it brings trouble, failure and confusion. When you use it constructively, it brings guidance, freedom, and peace of mind. 

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. (James 1: 5-8)

Maybe you find yourself thinking; 

• I want to healing, why can’t I get it?
• I try so hard, why don’t I get results?
• I must force myself to pray harder.
• I must use all the will power I have. 

You must realize where your error lies. You are trying too hard! Never try to compel your subconscious mind to accept your idea by exercising willpower. Such attempts are doomed to failure. All too often you end up getting the opposite of what you prayed for.

Any time you try to force your subconscious mind to do something for you, you will fail. The results you want will become more distant instead of closer. Your subconscious mind does not respond to mental coercion. It responds to your faith or conscious mind acceptance. The thought “I will use my will power to overcome my failure” reinforces the thought of failure. Mental effort often leads to self defeat, creating the opposite of what is desired. To focus on the need to exert will power is to emphasize the condition of powerlessness. It is like deciding that you will do all you can not to think of a pink elephant. The decision makes the idea of a pink elephant dominate the mind, and the subconscious always responds to the more dominant idea. Your subconscious will accept the stronger of the two contradictory propositions.

When you diligently seek God, He promises that a reward is coming. He promises He will give you strength, wisdom, favor, good breaks, promotion, healing and restoration. When you seek Him with your whole heart, you will find Him, and you won’t be able to outrun His goodness and blessing!

Till the next time

Bruce