Pray without Ego
When we pray we need to disidentify from our ego. Our ego (our ‘thinking’ brain) wants what it thinks is best. It looks for immediate gratification, immediate release of pain and immediate security. Being selfish in nature, our ego wants only surface level attainment and to avoid suffering at all costs. Disidentifying from the ego requires us to surrender. It requires us to detach from our own selfish desires and know that we perpetually lack understanding of what we need. Instead of immediate gratification, we may be called to endure pain and discomfort before we can receive our answer or understand the higher lessons being taught.
We have to admit that we completely lack understanding of God’s greater plan, so why do we try to pray for how we selfishly think our lives should unfold? We are not entitled to this life, it is a gift. We gain a sense of entitlement as our life progresses and we suddenly acquire ideas of what we think we deserve or should receive. We get so comfortable with our life on Earth that we come up with our own seemingly perfect plans, all the while forgetting who is really in control. We lose our sense of gratitude and privilege to simply be alive because of the noise of the world and the voice of our selfish ego. “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). Our life is not even our own - it is God’s. Why are we not so incredibly grateful for the gift of life that we welcome all circumstances given to us by God? We lack the trust that God gives us the circumstances we need. By sometimes giving us undesirable circumstances, we may actually be receiving the things we have prayed for. If we don’t know what is best, who does? Our Creator. Our Heavenly Father.
Why must we surrender to God? When we reach a state of surrender, we understand that we are not attached to what we think is best, but we trust that God is working out what he knows we need. We have to understand that what we think we want is not always in our best interest.
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Taking up our own cross means to let go of our false sense of control (ego) and succumb to our weakness, vulnerability and imperfect nature. We do not succumb to the point of helplessness, but we surrender ourselves to Jesus who we trust will pick us up and lead the way. We must deny ourselves (release our false sense of control over life) and follow Him. When we want to be the one in control in an attempt to save ourselves by our own human ability, we drift further and further from God and sink deeper into the pit of our mess. We are doing the complete opposite of His teachings, and we lose the presence of His glory. The more we try to control, the more lost we feel. We must lean on Him, giving up any false belief in our own power and hand over our life completely to Him. We must wake up knowing that He has a perfect plan for us and make it our intention to follow His plan as best as possible while becoming spiritually equipped. By foregoing our own human abilities and trusting Him completely, we undergo spiritual training to awakening, joy and peace. God wants to plant our feet on firm ground, and He wants to provide guidance for our lives. We get in the way of His perfect work within us by taking matters into our own hands (ego) and taking pitiful human action. We have to stop doing things in the 3D world and fasten our minds to spiritual attainment of the unseen world - the Heavenly realm - His Kingdom which exists within us.
His perfect work transcends all that we could possibly do or solve on our own. The truth is, we need Him. How can we not be delighted by this? How can we not rest assured knowing that our Heavenly Father is taking care of every minute detail of our lives? Lack of trust converts to anxiety, panic and states of depression. When we are able to embody a feeling of being divinely taken care of, that we are children of the great Heavenly Father who provides pure abundance, we can finally rest. Slowly we will recognize His glory returning to us with peace and joy filling our every cell.
When you pray, ask God for His will to be done, knowing that you are divinely provided for and loved. Rest in Him. Know that God is working out answers for you in every category of life, down to the very last detail. God’s miracle working power is fueled by our faith. Once you are able to hand over your faith entirely to God, He is overjoyed and gives to us in abundance. Every moment of life and the unfolding of events in such a perfect sequence will comfort you. You will feel God’s presence with you constantly intervening on your behalf. You will finally rest your Spirit in Him knowing that He will never forsake you.
5 Ways to Surrender
- Pray for God’s will to be done
- Trust that God wants to provide for you
- Understand that God will only allow/not allow something to happen if it's for your greater good
- Know that we can not rely on our own understanding
- Give thanks without ceasing
