If You Pray, Don’t Worry, and if You Worry, Don’t Pray “Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words” Daniel, a prophet of Israel was beset by a tragic vision of continued and worsening oppression under the hand of Beltshazzar. Daniel, a devout and pious prophet, prayed and fasted every day for three full weeks for an understanding of the vision. After subjecting himself to self inflicted mental anguish and worry, an angel of the Lord appeared to Daniel with the answers to Daniels’ prayers. However, before giving Daniel the answers he sought, the angel communicated a message from God, to fear not, because the answer was dispatched from God the very first time Daniel prayed for an understanding of his vision. More importantly, the angel told Daniel that the answer he was sent to deliver was delayed for twenty one days, the exact number of days Daniel spent praying over the same problem! In our human experience, we are often left without answers or envision insurmountable problems. From Daniel, we should understand that our prayers are heard instantly and the answers and solutions are custom made by God and dispatched to us immediately. While it is human nature to worry, it is the Divine nature of God to be our ever present help in a time of need. Lest we should delay the delivery of our blessings and relief, remember, if you pray, don’t worry, and if you worry, don’t pray!
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