“Geronda, when I ask for something from God, and He does not give it to me right away, should I persist?
Yes, be persistent. Within our prayer we must be persistent, just as the Canaanite Woman was with Christ…That you ask with humility and that you wait with patience. Prayer that is made with Faith, pain, persistence and patience, provided that that which we ask for is for our wellbeing, is heard.”
- St Paisios, Περἰ Προσευχἠς [About Prayer], Volume 6, pgs 39- 40.
Reflection:
Have we ever considered that persistence is necessary in prayer?
Let us follow the example of faith and humility of the Canaanite Woman(1):
When we think we receive silence in our prayers, let us persist in faith, knowing God to have the answer(2).
When there seems to be a roadblock, let us accept it with humility(3), and persist with faith for even the smallest consolation.
With the Canaanite woman, "Christ showed how she does not give up even upon reproof so that the great virtue in the woman was revealed. His words were spoken not in insult, but calling her forth, and revealing the treasure within her.”(4)
Our times of struggling to wait for God's answer may be similar to the Canaanite Woman, that He may reveal something greater within us during the humble-patient waiting period. We must remain persistent as she was, running to the Church as she did to Christ.
As St Paisios describes, our prayer requires both persistent faith and humble patience. So let us never give up, while remaining humble, seeking the revelation of God's will in everything we do.
Resources:
1) Matthew 15:21-28 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
2) Matthew 15:23 & 15:25 "But He answered her not a word...Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” She persisted in Faith, even in the face of silence.
3) Matthew 15:26-27 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Even in the face of a road block, she accepted it with humility, not challenging Christ's words but continuing in Faith asking for even the smallest bit of mercy.
4) St John Chrysostom, Homily 52.
