No respect for prayers? So confused...

[ForNarnia<3]

I was never big into Jesus or church or praying, nothing. After my brother was killed in a car accident 3 years ago, I gave up any belief in God all together because I figured nobody that great could exist and let my 18 yr old brother die. But over the course of the past two years, my friend and her Mom really helped me to believe in God and understand how He works. I may not go to church, but I still fully believe in God.

After the incident a few days ago with the 12 miners being thought for alive and really being dead, a woman on the news said there was a prayer vigil held. Well, to put it lightly, my mom flipped out, saying that praying is wrong and all. I disagreed.

Supposedly my mom thinks praying is our way to THINK we control things, especcially what God can and can't do. But I still think it's okay to believe in something, and feel like you're contributing to things by praying. What do you guys think? :confused:

[WillsGirl]

It's hard to understand God's will for us when it hurts. I have been through a few trials and sometimes we just want to say why? I mean what purpose could God have for this.
And in some situations we won't know until we get to heaven.
Prayer is a way to talk to God. To bring your petitions/requests to him.
God loves us and is probably the ONLY person who can understand our trials and triumphs completely.
There is power in prayer. I have seen it.
I am glad that you have a good friend in your life who can help you out with this difficult situation.
Hang in there, I'll be praying for you!

[Hope96]

I agree with you completely. Although your mom has a point in that when it boils down to it, God is in control......but prayer is in no way us thinking we can take control of things. Prayer is our way of communication with God. And how personalize our requests to Him.

[giselle]

I think that we don't really know how to pray. I was raised in a very catholic country, but I don't agree with most of the things about this religion. When someone prays, that person is not really praying, that person is DEMANDING something to happen. Yes, sometimes we think that we can control things if we only pray.

I decided to make my own way, to believe in something I agree with, not something that other person told me. It is ok if you pray, but remember to do it in your own way. Don't expect things to change, because if you believe in a certain God, he will have great things for you. Don't try to mess with his plans, everything he does will be for your own good.

I don't think I am the right person to talk about it, but that's my opinion. And I'm really sorry about your brother.

[inkspot]

I am very sorry about your brother, too. And I am glad that you are opening yourself to relationship with God, too. That can only help to ease the pain.

Of course, some people demand things from God when they pray, but that does not make God do anything one way or the other. Jesus taught us how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13 (the "our Father"). It is a very simple and straightforward prayer that asks God to supply our needs. There is no harm at all in asking God for what you need, or what you would like to see happen. You cannot "make" Him do anything, but like any loving Father, He does want to hear from you.

[ForNarnia<3]

Thank you everyone. I know I personally don't "demand" things to happen or think I'm in some sort of control by praying to God. And I basically only pray when someone I love is in danger or when I am confused and need His help. I think over the years my mom has just gone so against God and doesn't see the beauty in Him. :( But thank you so much for your advice and opinions, everyone!

[PrinceOfTheWest]

Lewis himself wrote a marvelous essay that was published in the collection called God in the Dock. It was called Petitionary Prayer: a Problem Without an Answer. Mind you, he wasn't calling prayer itself a problem, but the logical challenge of prayer: after all, if God knows what's best for us, won't He do it without our asking? And if He's immutable (i.e. unchangeable), how can our petitions possibly change His mind? The intellect is stymied by the issue.

Lewis comes to the simple conclusion that we pray because we have been told to do so. Even if it doesn't make sense, even if it doesn't seem to "work", we have been commanded to pray - and so we should. Somehow, someway, God intertwines His actions in our world with our willing, cooperating, and requesting. He didn't explain it to us, He just told us to do it. Presumably, some day we will understand it.

[TimmyofOz]

Thanks POW. Interesting ForNarnia>3, my brother died at 18 of a tragic swimming pool accident and that start a slow process of me becoming a Christian. It took 4 year and the subsequent death of my father also, but it did lead me to a slow process of me being open to spiritual things.

[ForNarnia<3]

TimmyofOz, I'm very sorry for your loss. I do believe death really messes with our minds, causing us to look into religion or retreat from it... and it's sad.

[TexanRose]

KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON you guys prayer is talking to the Almighty and it works

[Warrior-Poet51088]

Hey, y'all, I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents real quick...



1. "Prayer is talking with God."
^ That's probably pretty much the only thing I remember from sunday school 3 years ago, but the point is that, when we pray, we're not talking "to" God--we're fellowshipping with Him & listening for His reply (though it may, and usually does, come later on...). That is, we're not saying a bunch of words and directing them at God, cuz we want Him to answer; we're glorying in His company(/presence)!


2. ToO and FN<3, I am most grieved by your respective losses, and will keep y'all in my prayers!


3. Prayer works! Believe me, God is listening. Last year, I was trying to decide if I should apply to West Point, the USA's Military Academy. I was all ready to go, and then realized that I'd failed to pray about it...So, I started praying. I prayed for, I have no idea how long (it could have been a week or a motnh, for all I remember!), and I didn't get an answer.

Finally, one morning, I asked, "Is it your will for me to go to West Point?" After waiting a few seconds, I was about to repeat the question, when a very small voice said, "no."

Being a stiff-necked Presbyterian whose biggest flaw (perhaps ;) ) is not believing in the supernaturality of Christianity, I decided to "test the spirits" to make sure it was God. I appleid the Biblical test, and asked if this spirit believed that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh. I got a quiet "yes." [When I say "quiet" and "small" about the voice, I mean that it was soft, like a whisper]. I asked the same question, and got a definite "no."

Since then, I've come to learn that I have a gifting in languages, which I might not have ever known. I've also been drawn to the missions field (which is something I still need to pray about--gaaah!) because of my love of language, as well as my love of interacting with people & sharing the Gospel with them!


Short story: Prayer works, believe me!



And, because I want to make sure to drive my point home, I think you can ask almost any of the older mods on here how I often I "share," and they would tell you that I seldom, if ever, share something personal like that (it's personal to me, petty as it may seem to others...).

Why do I do so now?
Because I wholeheartedly want you to know that prayer works, and that God is really there, listening to you!

[masterofmonks]

In my opinion praying is somethign we should do every moment we think of it. That doesn't mean that you have to get on your knees and put your hands together. Sometimes it just means you close your eyes and say "Thank you God for what you have done for me so far in life. I know that I don't understand all the things that happen. You are in charge and I can rest easy knowing that." Sometimes that just helps the day go by better. and sometimes you need to say more, and sometimes less. But I don't think that praying is always just asking for something. But when you are asking for something, well remember be respectful, and remember that just because we want it, doesn't mean that we need it. Just my thought on the matter.

[Narnia_Fan]

Hey everyone,
Well praying is very important especialy when u have to make a big decision on something,or if ur going threw a hard time and don't have anyone to talk to.U can just pray and ask for help and God will answer u.He may not answer u right away it may take some time but it dousen't mean he forgot about u or anything like that,he'll answer when the time is ready.When u pray don't just ask God for what u need or what u would like to happen,thank him for what he's done for u.
I'm realy sorry to hear about ur guys losses ForNarnia<3andtimmyofOzI'll be praying for u guys :)

[NKSK2]

I know what it is like too. I still have never doubted God, but that was cuz I was 7 when my brother was diagnosed with cancer. I realize though that God may use something to get through to us even though HE was not the reason why my brother got sick. like during this time my dad grew spiritually because of prayer for my brother. I also know the Devil can make incidents happen to seperate us from God. but, yes. God does hear prayer.

[Between_the_Worlds]

AMEN!

And praying isn't always about requests, it can also be praises or just thanks. Often when I'm by myself, or out walking, I just say, "I love you, God" or "Thank you for your beautiful creation". Praying is just like talking to your best friend.

[EveningStar]

I wrote something along these lines in another branch of this forum, but here goes again.

PRAYER IS NOT:

A means to keep God informed. A letter to Santa demanding presents because you've been very good this year. A way of convincing God to do his job. A spell of some sort.

PRAYER IS:

Companionship with God. A way of showing God and you that the welfare of others around you is an extension of your own wellbeing. A way of involving God in your desires, dreams, and aspirations. A form of clarifying what you think you want and reordering your priorities under God's oversight. A mirror in which you see your priorities as they are and re-evaluate your strategy.

[Rhyanidd]

I think that we don't really know how to pray. I was raised in a very catholic country, but I don't agree with most of the things about this religion. When someone prays, that person is not really praying, that person is DEMANDING something to happen. Yes, sometimes we think that we can control things if we only pray.

I don't know about Catholics, however God told us in the Bible to pray! In the New Testment Jesus teaches us how to pray, with the Lords Prayer. God tells us to pray because he knows what we want and what we need but he wants to hear us say it! Its like your mom knows you love her, but when you say it, it means a whole lot more.

[carolinafan]

Of course we should pray and of course it changes things. It is written in the Bible to pray and that alone should be enough. And it also says that whatever you ask of God in the name Christ Jesus, He will do it. It's as simple as that. And I believe that the Holy Spirit puts in us the desire to pray and stirs us to pray for a specific thing. He moves you to pray for something or someone. But if people go into prayer not believing that prayer does anything, it's not going to happen. So really it's faith, not faith of ourselves, but faith that God gives us. I think it is fine to share your desires and feelings with God and ask Him for help. I also think thanking God and praising Him is just as important.

[Gryphon]

Our prayers do have an effect on the things around us. If praying didnt have an effect on anything then why does God ask us to pray? Just for kicks? God doesnt want us to do meaningless things. satan is trying to tie you off of the things that connect you with God because your starting to discover the truth. Take this to heart, it means your doing something right! Also, you dont have to "go to church" because as a part of Christ's body you ARE the church. But if in fact you havent accepted Christ as your Lord you should go back and ask your friend and her mom to pray with you about it. Christ didnt die for a religion, he died for a relationship with you! You dont have to go to church but you should have fellowship with other believers, thats the whole point of "church" I'll be praying for you ;)

[inkspot]

I read about a study where they asked people to pray for some house plants! You know, just in your prayers, pray the house plants would prosper ... and then some other house plants, nobody prayed for them, but they were in the exact same conditions as the prayed-for ones -- and the ones that were being pryed for grew better and healthier!

[Narnia_Fan]

inkspot I think that is so cool what happened to the plants.

I go to missionettes camp in the summer and in chaple theres an alter call and u can just feel God's prescence in the room.We get into little groups and pray for each other[only if u want to]My friends dad got cancer and its been hard on her,her dad had surgery on her birthday and stuff.The docters dont know if hell be alive 10years from now :( .and it just lifted this great burden off her shoulder,I don't know how her dad is doing but i think he is a little better.We don't talk about it because we don't want her to be sad.Well my point is that prayer works .There are many other stories i could tell u but it is getting late.Keep up the posting everyone!!