{"id":2191,"date":"2016-09-28T13:55:43","date_gmt":"2016-09-28T13:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/howgreatthoupart\/?p=2191"},"modified":"2016-09-28T13:58:37","modified_gmt":"2016-09-28T13:58:37","slug":"joel-osteen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/howgreatthoupart\/2016\/09\/joel-osteen.html","title":{"rendered":"Joel Osteen Taught Me to Pray with Faith Not Fear"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Is there a right way to pray?” <\/strong><\/p>\n

I admit I found myself asking this question.<\/em><\/p>\n

I don’t think it is uncommon to ponder this while experiencing hardship especially when struggles are unable to be conquered but instead continue. We begin to wonder. Am I praying correctly? Am I asking the right way? Am I surrendering to my faith? <\/p>\n

The more the darkness prevails the more we become lost in prayer. Yes, a deliberate and thought-provoking pun.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

How do we pray when stress and fear overwhelm us? <\/em> <\/p>\n

\"pexels-photo-24334\"<\/a>
\nI am a testimony to one who became lost in prayer. I allowed fear to overcome me. <\/strong><\/p>\n

My divorce has been long, complicated and brutal. It has been an absolute implosion of all parts of my life. There would be no kindness and civility for a love that has run its course. On the contrary, once I conceded I had done all I could do to save my relationship, a war was declared on the other side.<\/p>\n

In the midst of emotional, physical and financial insecurity I let fear silently creep in. <\/strong><\/p>\n

I then allowed restless nights to welcome it deeper into my life. <\/em><\/p>\n

I would climb under the sheets, my head collapsing into the pillow and I would pray. I would cry. I would pray. And then I would cry while I prayed. <\/p>\n

“Please,” I would beg. “God please, help me find a way out of this situation. Please give me strength. Please make these horrible divorce games stop. Please, I am begging you.”
\n<\/em>
\nAs I rounded the corner into year three of what should have been a one year divorce, I was at a loss. Why aren’t things getting better? Why can’t there be forward movement? Why can’t there be a resolution? I am making the best choices I can. I can’t control another human being. <\/p>\n

\"pexels-photo-46046\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I continued to cry. I continued to pray with fear. I continued to beg. One might call it ‘Pregging’ rather than praying.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"bible-scripture-gospel-testament-52513\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One day a friend from college called. She was also enduring a painful divorce. She spoke of Joel Osteen. She said his sermons brought her strength and comfort. I always loved listening to Joel Osteen and found his messages inspiring. I knew I needed to listen to him.<\/p>\n

So I did.<\/p>\n

I now climbed under the sheets, collapsed my head into the pillow and set my phone to Joel. I hung on each word. I could feel my body language shifting away from stress and towards peace. The tossing and turning and the punching of the pillow seemed to be dissipating. I was now able to fall asleep. It may have required two entire sermons to drift off but to this divorce induced insomniac it was an invaluable respite. <\/p>\n

I began to change the way I prayed. I replaced my own prayers with what Joel Osteen has been criticized for. I thanked God for showing his favor in my life. I thanked God for his abundance. I repeated these as Joel teaches via his sermons.<\/p>\n

I found myself breaking free of fear and finding my faith. I was no longer ‘pregging.’ I was praying. <\/p>\n

I began to tell people Joel Osteen was having a dramatic impact on my method of prayer. <\/p>\n

“You know they call him a prosperity preacher,” some would say.<\/p>\n

“I know,” I would respond. “That is a misnomer. Joel Osteen is NOT a ‘prosperity preacher.’ He is not preaching positivity and abundance. He is reminding us that fear is an absence of faith. He is reminding us how to pray.”<\/p>\n

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” – James 1:6
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

An absence of faith and the presence of fear, hence, ‘lost’ in prayer.<\/p>\n

Joel Osteen ministers to restore faith not simply prosperity.<\/p>\n

He reminds us true faith is believing.<\/p>\n

(Photos courtesy of Pexels)
\nFollow me on Facebook @Colleen Orme National Columnist
\non Twitter @colleenorme
\non Pinterest @colleensheehyorme
\nE-mail: Colleen.Sheehy.Orme@gmail.com
\nwww.colleensheehyorme.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Is there a right way to pray?” I admit I found myself asking this question. I don’t think it is uncommon to ponder this while experiencing hardship especially when struggles are unable to be conquered but instead continue. We begin to wonder. Am I praying correctly? Am I asking the right way? Am I surrendering…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":575,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-divorce-2"],"yoast_head":"\nJoel Osteen Taught Me to Pray with Faith Not Fear - How Great Thou Part<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/howgreatthoupart\/2016\/09\/joel-osteen.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Joel Osteen Taught Me to Pray with Faith Not Fear - How Great Thou Part\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"“Is there a right way to pray?” I admit I found myself asking this question. 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