This world we live in is fixated on power.

Powerful people, powerful automobiles, powerful planes, powerful militaries, powerful medicines, powerful portfolios…the list is endless. People are searching for the powerful solution to whatever ails or bedevils them. This leads some to seek the next powerful leader who promises to deliver them from whatever situation they find themselves. The answer for folks is not to come to understand and accept their present situation but to try to power themselves out of it.

Many, many people pray consistently for change.

They want God to intervene in their lives and “fix” the things that are wrong. They want God to change the people around them so that the pray-er is better understood. They pray for God to change the Church or pastor so that the better reflect the pray-er’s preferred religious understanding. The pray for better government programs and elected officials – people who will listen to their needs and actually do something about them.

The thing about praying is that when it is done with an open heart and mind, then it can change the pray-er.

That is the true power of prayer. The Sufi poet Rumi once wrote this about the power of prayer: “I prayed for change, so I changed my mind. I prayed for guidance and learned to trust myself.

I prayed for happiness and realized I am not my ego. I prayed for peace and learned to accept others unconditionally. I prayed for abundance and realized my doubt kept it out. I prayed for wealth and realized it is my health.

I prayed for a miracle and realized I am the miracle. I prayed for a soul mate and realized I am the One. I prayed for love and realized it’s always knocking, but I have to let it in.”

The blessed assurance that we have as children of a loving and forgiving God is that God hears all of our prayers – even the ones that are self-centered and demanding. I firmly believe that God answers prayers, but I also believe that the power of God’s answer comes in the increased understanding I get as I wait for God’s response.

God seldom answers prayers in the way that I am expecting, and I always have been blessed by that fact. Only God knows the plan for my life and how my prayers fit into the “grand scheme” of things. Jesus taught his disciples (and all of us who follow him) how to pray a powerful prayer to God. We are to be reverent about how God is with us and always working for our benefit. We are to pray that we follow God’s will like all the heavenly beings do so that God’s kingdom will be realized on earth. We are to pray only for our needs for today and for the power to forgive those who are indebted to us as God forgives our debts. We are to be free of temptation and delivered from all evil.

There is no more powerful prayer than that. If we would all pray that routinely and live into that prayer, then we would see it become a powerful reality here on earth. Our situations would change, our behaviors and attitudes would change, our relationships would markedly improve and we and all creation would flourish.

This week, if you want to unlock the power of prayer in your life, I invite you to pray the Lord’s Prayer at least once daily. Take your time and really think about the words you are praying.

Think about what it means to truly follow God’s will for your life and to forgive others as you are forgiven.

Thank God for the abundant blessings of daily accompaniment and food on the table. I think that if you do this you will discover the kingdom, the power and the glory of God now and forever. If you need a refresher on the prayer because it’s been a while since you prayed it, then Google it and choose the one you like best. Better yet, come to a faith community this week and say this powerful prayer in the company of other believers. You may be delightfully surprised at how you feel. May God move powerfully in your prayer life this week!

The Rev. Albrant is pastor of Mineral and Mount Pleasant United Methodist churches.