Experiments (part 1)

An early love of mine was chemistry. I completed my studies with a BSc in Chemistry and a PGCE. I taught chemistry up to 11-18 year olds for 3 years. That was enough.

Most experiments in science lessons are not experiments: they are demonstrations. The teacher knows what the answer is. If you don’t get the result she wants then you went wrong.

This never happens with real experiments because you do not know what is going to happen. Whatever you get is the result. It may not be the result you hoped for, and you may try it differently next time, but the result is the result.

Every prayer is an experiment. God is the great unknown and prayer is the ultimate experiment. You never know what will happen. Prayer never goes wrong, never fails. You might not get what you were hoping for, but you get a result. This result is significant, even if the significance is that you decide to do it differently next time.

What would constitute results worth pursuing? Traditional answers go along these lines:

  • you become happier;
  • you know what makes others happy;
  • you gain insight into yourself;
  • you gain insight into what matters most to you;
  • you clarify (formerly called ‘purify’) desire;
  • you learn how you might do more of what matters most;
  • you come to know God better;
  • you become more loving;
  • you trust God / Life more;
  • you realise the truth.

What makes prayer worth it for you?

[Look out for Part 2 on Friday.]

One thought on “Experiments (part 1)

  1. a sense that there is ‘something’ transcendent which I can link with which gives me a sense of perspective and more compassion – for myself and others. I find peace in that more than in anything else I know and have proved it to myself in v. difficult times. amy p.

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