As we were praying, the though occurred to me "Why are we not praying for other governments as well?"
We spend a fair amount of time in the media and society being told that we are an interconnected society and a global world, and that "problems" that impact us should be dealt with globally. But ultimately global problems come down to individual governments of nation-states which make decisions.
For example, we can pray for "our" government to make the right and just decisions about any number of issues - but do we, or even are we, encouraged to pray for the other governments involved as well to make the right and just decisions also? It feels quite easy to feel that we can pray for our own government and hold it "accountable" (which is only usually used when the policy is disagreed with). But are we willing to go out on the limb and hold the other governments accountable as well?
I suppose in some ways this is rooted in my continuing complaint that large scale anythings, be they governments or movements or companies, never solve anything. It is only (ultimately) at the local level that such things get resolved. The question is, do we want to pray for true resolution of issues, or only for the resolutions that somehow stroke our own feelings being socially conscious and politically astutue?
I seem to have the capacity to have an overview of things, politics included, which makes it difficult to take sides when having discussions about certain subjects. It makes me seem as if I am indifferent because I see both sides, so when praying I ask the Universe (God) to bring the right solution to all sides......asking for peace and harmony for all.
ReplyDeleteFor myself, I also ask for the right outcome, not choosing a particular outcome, but the right outcome for my spiritual self which will give me the right way forward. Again, this makes me seem indecisive, but I am waiting for the way to be shown me, and it always is although it might take a while to arrive, and often will surprise me and require of me a leap of faith.
Another blog of yours which had me thinking...... thank you.
You are quite welcome Vera. That was really my whole point in starting blogging - to make people thing.
ReplyDeleteOverview is a very hard thing to have and deal with. It is difficult to explain to one or more sides that you do see their point, but perhaps this would be better. For those that value loyalty to a particular group more than the correct solution, this becomes too difficult to deal with - and to their opponents, gives them a sense of victory without examining their own internal issues (just because you are right on one thing does not mean you are right on everything).
That is a very good note about waiting for the solution, the right solution, to present itself. Real solutions take actual thinking and testing and reviewing and pondering. They are hardly ever instantaneous.
Oddly enough, I often believe the right solutions are there. We just have to be willing and humble enough to see them.