Pray with Optimism

If you have the faith that your request(s) will be granted you have half-received your blessing(s), but if you do not have such a faith, you will not have trust in the Orisa and you might have half-repelled your blessing(s). 

If one asks for another person's favour, and one utters statement like "l do not expect it done; it is just to test him" that means one only asks for the favour as a joke and does not really have trust in the person. The case is the same whenever one is praying without faith. It shows lack of trust in Olodumare and the Messengers whenever such a pessimistic statement is uttered or harbored. 

For one's prayer to be answered, one must be convinced with faith that it is accepted once it is said; one ought to be optimistic that Olodumare will surely grant the requests. A lot of people have lost their blessings through that pessimistic mind which by implication, means that Olodumare is not capable of providing them the blessings they ask for. From odu Ifá Òtúábàrà, we heard of a woman, Kékerénsélé who was barren. Ifá was consulted and the message of Olodumare for her was that she would be pregnant very soon if she could make sacrifice. She made the sacrifice, but as she carried the sacrifice to its destination, she made a statement that she did not believe that she could be pregnant through that ebo which was made of solid pap (corn meal) and palm oil. Whenever she was given Ifá medicine, before taking it, she would say that she did not believe that that charcoal-like and or chalk-like powder could make her pregnant. And her prayer was not answered.

Puzzled enough, her husband, Àgbonniregün, called upon the Babalawo again; they cast Ifá and told Kékerénsélé that it was because of her disbelief/lack of faith that she had not been pregnant. She was told that she would only receive her blessing when she had strong faith and was optimistic that her prayer would be answered. It was then that kékeréhselé was serious; she used Ifá medicine without uttering or harbouring any pessimistic statement. Sooner than later, kékerénsélé was pregnant and delivered. She then rejoiced and they sang to praise the Babalawo 

Awo lotuà
Awo lobàrà
Kékerénselé lo n seye méji
Òtùà is a true Awo
Òbàrà is a competentAwo

It was Kékerénselé who had been doubting.

Source: ìwure (Efficacious prayer to Olodumare, The Supreme Force. 2011:48-49) Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode