When you achieve something you are very happy, very proud about it. There is nothing to be proud of in your achievement. If you have achieved something by your effort, which means it is some thing which is within your capacity to do. All that you gain by your own effort is not worth gaining because you already have it. That something which is greater than you cannot be achieved by your effort. So your achievement really means nothing.
All that is worth having in life comes out of prayer. And prayer can happen only when you know that something is beyond your capacity, something that you cannot achieve. All that descends on you by grace is what is worth having.
Who can pray? Only those who feel helpless can pray. When you become aware of your inability, the futility of your efforts, when you become aware of your insignificance in the world, you can pray over thousands of years, many people have come and gone without leaving a trace. In the thousands and thousands of galaxies among millions and millions of stars, you are nothing, not even a particle. How can one be blind as not to see such a reality?
Every helpless moment is a golden opportunity to pray. A wise and intelligent man makes use of those moments to pray because those moments take you deep down into your heart. You can sink deep into your consciousness, your existence. If you are intelligent enough to recognize your insignificance, every moment will be a prayerful moment. God dawns in your life. It’s very simple.
The first and foremost qualification for prayer is to feel your insignificance. All the events fell into place and made you whatever you are. There must be a limit to ego. You even go to the extent to do things to satisfy Gods or Goddesses. That is making them a football of your praise and displeasure. By doing all superficial actions, you think you are pleasing God. That is not prayer.
Prayer is not demanding from God. It is nothing great to be an atheist. A very stupid person can become an atheist. It does not take much time to disapprove God. But to prove the existence of supreme intelligence you need intelligence. Only an intelligent man can have faith in God – not just believing but having faith is a happening, an event a stage of maturity of your knowledge. When knowledge matures it becomes faith.
Prayer is gratefulness. Prayer is being in totality, being aware of the love that God is pouring on you every moment, the huge waves of love that eternity blows on you. You are in deep slumber now, but in this tidal wave, this storm of love, you cannot sleep if you are intelligent. God loves you dearly. Prayer is recognition of the ocean of love that existence has for you. Prayer is experiencing the presence of God.
Does God come first or prayer? The whole mathematics here is different. Prayer comes first. Prayer is being grateful for all that has been bestowed on you. Feel grateful for all that you have now. You and you alone. Prayerfulness is a very intimate feeling. It is very personal.
You cannot imitate or duplicate prayer. Your prayer is your flowering. No other bud can bloom from you. Any other blossom that blooms; blooms for itself. Being thankful and grateful is prayer. Prayer cannot be practiced; it just happens when life matures.
Your life is like a burning candle; you are burning every minute, every second. And if you are aware of the burning of your life, that becomes prayer.
