Did I botch my Novena?

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DaneClark

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My priest told me that the saints will hear me as long as my intention is sincere. On the second day of my Novena, before I said it for the day, I started thinking about my request and got kind of uncomfortable, thinking “is this what I really want?” Of course, a part of me really really didn’t want to give up my request, because it was very important to me and it just felt right, and as the week went on I realized that I really really did want it. Of course, I pondered about why such a thought would even come into my head in the first place, but I kept saying the Novena every day because I knew I wanted it. I think that my uncomfortable feelings were related to OCD. Was my intention still sincere enough for them to hear me? I have already prayed to God asking him not to let my Novena go to waste.

By the way, I know that Novenas aren’t magic and that they won’t grant a request that isn’t aligned with God’s will.
 
Of course it was…We can only do the best that we are trying to do and let God handle the rest
 
No prayer made out of love for God ever goes to waste. Perhaps one of the fruits of your prayer was the opportunity to consider the questions you are considering: What is God’s will? Is what I want the same as what He wants? In this sense, I think your prayer may have been very fruitful.

The main purpose of prayer is to help you develop a loving, trusting relationship with God. If it is accomplishing this, the exact things you ask for seem to me to be secondary. Let the Holy Spirit guide your prayer. If what you are praying for during a novena changes over the course of the novena, it is possible that the Holy Spirit is guiding you in this way, as long as you are sincerely trying to align your will with God’s.

Keep on praying with love and trust.
 
My family often prayers novenas not for any particular intention, but as a favorite form of family prayer. We will usually form a general intention for conversion of souls. These novenas are very beautiful because as PhilotheaZ said, they are a way to show love of God.

Continue to pray always even if a specific intention isn’t fully formed when you pray. Pray for guidance in all situations that you may be able to discern God’s will for you in that instance.
 
Here’s an easy solution to the problem: In any prayer, but especially a novena – simply add a sentiment that you ask God to grant this intention if it is good for you and in accordance with His will. That way, even if you have second thoughts, He’s in charge and knows what is best for you!
 
Dane,
Your Novena was not “botched” up. As a matter of fact - aside from the possibility of OCD (don’t go overboard worrying on that), you should ALSO consider if God or the Saint to whom you were praying, was giving you some kind of response. Asking if what you’re praying for is what you really want, is simply re-examining things - using your God-given gifts to re-evaluate your request. Depending on what your Novena intention was, the answer might have been just that. We’re often told that every prayer gets answered - and sometimes, the answer is “no”. Maybe, this time you were being inspired to evaluate what you’re asking for - who knows? Only God.
May you be blessed.
 
Some things to consider:

-The “do I really want this” feeling that I got was related to social anxiety and is something that I have gotten before, not just in the Novena. It is also a feeling that I get about a lot of things.

-For months before I started the Novena I have been praying for guidance and I got a strong feeling of assurance that what I want is his will.

-As the 9 days went on, the more I prayed, the more I knew I wanted it.
 
i think that the prayer was in the right place and your intentions true. also, if it hasn’t been answered, remember to say thank you anyway 👍
 
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