Hiren Deliwala
By Hiren Deliwala
Prayer has always been a big deal in Indian households. Whether it’s the smell of incense in the morning or your mom telling you “Bhagwan se kuch maango beta (Go ahead and ask of God)” we’ve grown up with folded hands and a hopeful heart. As a kid, I used to pray for better grades, a new toy, and of course, “Please God, make my parents stop arguing,”—the childhood version of world peace.
Fast forward to adulthood, and honestly… not much has changed. Now I pray for promotions instead of grades, a bigger car instead of a toy, and that my kids don’t fight—and maybe, just maybe, that my wife also doesn’t argue. (Not holding my breath on that one)
But here’s the thing: somewhere along the way, I started noticing a pattern. All my prayers were about results. “God, give me this, fix that, make this happen.” But not once did I pray about what I needed to become to actually deserve those things. Not once did I say, “Bhagwan, give me the discipline to wake up early,” or “God, help me stay focused instead of doom-scrolling through Instagram.”
That’s when it hit me. Maybe prayers aren’t just for wish lists. Maybe they’re also for checklists – meri checklist of qualities that I need to actually get where I want to go.
Let’s break this down. What if, instead of asking God for outcomes, we started asking for – inner strength? Here’s what that could look like:
1. Confidence to Get Started
For Indian Americans, everyone wants to be the next big thing. But start something new? Yeah, that’s out of my reach! So what if, instead of praying for success, we asked for confidence? “Hey God, give me strength and confidence to get started.” The hardest part is often taking that first step. Confidence can be divine too, you know.
2. Patience to Stay the Course
We live in a world where 10-minute Maggi takes 2 minutes too long. But real growth is slow-cooked. Instead of asking, “Why haven’t I got that raise yet?” what if we asked, “God, give me patience to keep working even when I can’t see the results.” Patience is underrated – but it’s what separates a one-hit wonder from those with an asli (real) journey.
3. Courage to Leave the Comfort Zone
We all love our cozy spots – same job, same people, same streaming shows. But deep down, we know growth only happens when we’re slightly uncomfortable, like the first day of gym or yoga class when every muscle screams, “Why am I here?” So maybe we start praying, “God, give me the courage to try new things – even if I look silly doing them.”
4. Grace to Accept Limitations
We’re always comparing – “Sharma ji” or “Patel ji ka beta” syndrome never really leaves us. But what if, instead of wanting to be perfect, we prayed to accept our flaws? “God, help me chill a little and be okay with not being a superhero every day.” Accepting yourself doesn’t mean giving up. It means being real and growing from there.
Now don’t get me wrong – I still want my promotions and peace at home (especially that second one). But now, when I go to a temple, I try not to be that 7-year-old me with a wish list longer than a Diwali shopping bill. I try to be that grown-up who says, “God, give me the will to do what I need to do. I need your aashirvaad (blessing) and I will do my part, too.”
Let’s face it, effort or grace – both are needed. Because if I keep asking only for results, without doing my bit, even God must be up there thinking, “Is this guy going to do something or just insisting I do it all?”
So now, my prayers are a little different. Instead of just saying “Give me a better job,” I try saying, “Give me strength to tolerate my current job while I look for new job.” Instead of “I want a 6-pack,” I ask, “Give me discipline to wake up and go to gym and off course, instead of wandering around the gym – give me focus to work out.”
Maybe this won’t work. Maybe I’ll still fail. But I’ll fail with purpose – and that’s a start. Prayers, at the end of the day, are like pep talks from the soul. They align our intentions, remind us of what matters, and maybe – just maybe – trick our brain into getting off the couch and doing something about it.
So, next time you go to the temple try something new. Try praying not just for the destination, but for the fuel – confidence, patience, courage, and clarity. Effort is in your hands. Grace will follow.
And who knows? Maybe even your wife (or husband) won’t argue that day.
Hiren Deliwala currently serves as the Leader of Solutions Architecture for the Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He received his MBA from UNC Chapel Hill. Contact: [email protected]
