Chapter 72

You Must Pester the Lord

But over everyone stands one sin: they make a bow or two and demand of the Lord, bring it here, put it there. If it is not given according to their desire—they raise a murmur and curse God’s providence. Thus they receive nothing. This—bring it here, put it there—means commanding God. You shouldn’t do that; rather, like this: “Lord, You see that I need this and that, that this and that weighs upon me. Help me and arrange me as Your holy will is pleased, not as my will desires!”

Having set yourself in this way, you must pray for a long time—not a long time all at once, but a long time over time: now, tomorrow, a week, a month, a year. Keep crying and crying: “Lord, deliver! Lord, help! But yet not my will, but Yours be done!” Thus the Lord spoke in the Garden of Gethsemane (See: Matt. 26:39), and the widow in the parable pestered the judge—and received what she asked for (See: Luke 18:1–8). Among the saints there is such a saying: “you must pester the Lord and His saints.”

(Letter 1428. Vol. 8, pp. 163–164)