do you pray for answers, or for strength?

"I used to pray that God would feed the hungry, or do this or that, but now I pray that he will guide me to do whatever I'm supposed to do, what I can do. I used to pray for answers, but now I'm praying for strength. I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us and we change things." Blessed Mother Teresa

 

It would be great if we could sit back and let "someone else" do all of the dirty work for us, while we sip a pina colada and enjoy the view. Life is just not that way. When you hear a beauty pageant contestant say she wants to see "world peace," what is she doing to promote that?

 In your corner of the world, what are you doing to promote peace? How are you seeking out the good for others instead of just taking it all for yourself?

 There is a story, also from Mother Teresa, of how she came upon a poor beggar woman. "Oh, please, can you spare me any rice, I have hungry children to feed!" Mother saw to it that this woman was given her request. This same mother was then seen rushing to a neighbor's house. In that house was a much older woman. The beggar then split the amount of rice she had received in half, thus assuring another that she also would be fed.