Hole in the Wall Prayer

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Norman Vincent Peale, in his book The Power of Positive Thinking, tells the story of a man who opened a small New York City business and described it as a “little hole in the wall.” In order to grow the business this man vowed to fill the “little hole in the wall” with prayers and optimistic thoughts. He used his own creative thinking and a curious formula that he credits for his very successful business operation. The formula for this three-point prayer method is...

• PRAYERIZE
• PICTURIZE
• ACTUALIZE

Prayerize

The man practiced a daily system of creative prayer. When he encountered a problem, he talked it over with God by praying without ceasing. He conceived God as being present in his home, his office, and his car. God was as near as his closest friend. He discussed everything with God in a natural, normal tone of voice. God's presence dominated his conscious and unconscious thinking. Living by prayer, he "prayerized" his life. By prayerizing his mind, he was able to influence his actions.

Picturize

The next step of the “curious formula” was to “picturize” the future. In psychological terms Peale called this type of visualization a “realizable wish.” The belief is that when success or failure is picturized, it tends to actualize.

This idea has been expressed throughout the ages:

• Proverbs 23:7: “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
• Psychologist-philosopher William James: "Belief (confidant thought) creates the actual fact".
• Clergyman William Ellery Channing: "Secret study, silent thought, is the mightiest agent in, human affairs. What a man does outwardly is but the expression and completion of his inward Thought.”
• Rev. Jonathan Edwards: "The ideas and images (thoughts) in men's mind are the invisible powers that constantly govern them
• Henry Ford: "Whether you think you can or think you can't-you are right."

Today, psychologists refer to Peale’s picturizing as creative visualizing or imaging. With this strategy a person doesn’t just think about success, he or she sees success.

Peale was quick to point out the importance of praying about a matter and testing it according to God’s will before picturizing it happening. When considering this technique, it’s important to pray for God’s direction and will. Then, once you are convinced that you are moving in God’s will, imprint a picture in your mind as if it is happening. Surrender the picture to God’s will and follow his guidance in his timing at his pace. When picturizing, we must remember to do our part to achieve success in the matter.

Actualize

If you have petitioned God’s help in the situation and visualized it getting resolved according to God’s plan, you will be amazed at how the picture is actualized. Peale’s belief was that what we prayerize and picturize will actualize when we invoke God’s power on it and give ourselves fully to its realization.

A realizable wish + God’s power + your power = actualization.

Is there something that God is asking you to do that you need to actualize? Why not try to prayerize and picturize it?