question about prayer...?

Question

if everything is supposedly predetermined by God from the beginning, what's the point of praying about something that you really want to happen..or like praying for a loved one or your own future? i understand when you pray and praise God for what He is and what He has done, but i just dont understand the point of the other types of things if our lives and events in our lives are predetermined?

and i dont want any atheists answering this with "God isnt real, nothing is predetermined, no point to pray" bc that wont answer my question. ok aweeesome.

ok..so when God says he has a plan for all of us, what does that exactly mean since we do have free will?

Answer 1

Well, there are many different ideas on prayer and how it works. It is true, though, if everything is predetermined, then there is no point to prayer (at least prayer to change things).

However, it would seem from the Bible that we are to pray to change things. Specifically, I think about Jesus talking to his disciples about prayer and telling them about the women who stands outside the judges house and begs for his intervention and is eventually persuaded to act. And when Jesus teaches the disciples to pray he says "... give us today our daily bread...," a specific request. Additionally, we are told that God delights to give us the desires of our hearts, and uses the example of a parent delighting in giving a good gift to their child.

The problem of prayer is only one of many many problems with the theology of predestination. Here is a link to an essay on Open Theology. It is a biblical based theology that says perhaps God does not even know exactly what will happen in the future, no less has it all planned out. http://www.franciscan-anglican.com/Foreknowledge.htm

Good luck to you in you theological struggles. Wisdom, grace, and peace to you!

Addendum for your addition:
You seem to ask the question about God's plan through the lens of predestination. A plan is just that; a plan. If I say that I have a plan for my vacation, I am expressing to you my hope or perhaps intention. I think that this is closer to what God has for us. However, I think that we are also active participants in that plan. If God wanted little robots then God would not have created free will at all. Additionally, how specific is this plan? I think that God has a plan that all of us would be fulfilled and spiritually mature. But that doesn't say anything about whether I should be a doctor or farmer or move here or date this person. I could fulfill God's plan for my life on any of those paths.

But there is also this implicit idea that your will and God's will are likely to be in conflict or at least incongruent. However, if God has created you and knows you and your interests, experiences, etc., it seems most likely that God's plan and your true desires would naturally fall into line. If you want your best and God wants your best then your desires are God's desires. Jesus said "My yoke is light and burden easy." Relax. All will be well.. :) Peace

Answer 2

I am not an atheist but this is problematic for those who believe in an ultimate power and those who don't (though atheist may never admit it). One could believe in a powerful god that doesn't know the future but knows/can do anything else. If you believe god must be omniscient in order to be god then you do not have free will. If god knows what will happen then nothing you do can change it. It also makes no sense to praise god for the past since that was predetermined. It's like thanking your parents they made love at the precise moment so that you came into existence. If you can't let go of god being omniscient then there will never be an anwser to your question, unless of course god explains it to you.

Answer 3

If everything is predetermined by God, what is the point of having free will? Rather, I do believe that everything happens for a reason. Its a different thing because the things or the actions that you do in life also affects others whether you know it or not. The point of praying is to ask for guidance in choosing the right path so that whatever choices that you make, it will be for the betterment of others and not just for yourself. Its all about having faith. ^_^

Answer 4

Well, let's see now... how do I answer that? Predetermined?! Nothing is predetermined as you suppose. God knows the end from the beginning, but that's because He knows everything! But, you still have the free will to choose and decide for yourself how you will live, etc. He knows what you will decide, what you will choose, and all the events in your life but... He hasn't made them for you, (and won't). You're not pre-programmed, which you would have to be if everything was "predetermined", right? He says, (for example), "Ask, and ye shall receive..." - so, if you don't ask, (or pray for something or someone), you can't expect to receive!
(Good question, but it's really hard to explain in simple terms!)

Answer 5

Well actually, the predetermined or God's plan in our life is for good except He is trying to test our faith. God's plan is for something that may change our way of seeing thing but again God allows us to run our life as the way we like it to be because we have been given heart and mind to digest or plan our action. There is nothing in God's plan that is so evil then what the point of us calling him God or pray. Somehow, because we follow too much without discerning what our heart says or wants that possibly influenced by evil thought or Satan himself then mostly it turns out bad and then eventually we blame God for that. Well if we use common sense, does God already made a plan that somebody should be going to hell and tormented there. It does not make sense. But why someone is going to hell when the fact is God want every one of us to reach Him in heaven.

There are points, reasons, good things of why we pray. One is that we would continue to have faith in Him. Secondly to see how much faith do we have even the prayer request is not granted. Unless we can think that whatever happen has every reason behind the success or failure, everybody will think that God is a puppet master. Even if get what we prayed for ask ourself, how many time do we thank God for the answered prayer. And also how many time do we humble ourself for every success granted. Well, actually beyond the success of the answered prayer also is a test. Well as always we always keep blaming God when thing turns out not the way we want it to be.

Learn from the patient of Abraham or the courage of Joshua. You will see and understand God's way but not give up prayer just because believing things is already plan. God has plan but we can seek to make it better unless God want it that way then there is reason why God wants it to be still that way. Just ask ourself, what kind of prayer or request that we ask. What is the attitude of such prayer? Is it selfish, self desire or the other way around.

May God bless you.

Answer 6

I'm a Christian, and I dont believe anything is predetermined, or what would be the point of free will. I believe God knows whats going to happen, but that he does not pre-destined it, as we are free to choose. That said:

Assuming it is predestined, than the point of praying really would be mute. Praying wont get it for you, or take it away, as it is whatever is pre-destined to happen, and nothing will change that.

Now, to assume its not, than praying by Christians is two-fold. One, as a commandment, that would should pray and praise God, and to ask it in Jesus' name. Christians will ask in Jesus name, in hopes it will be done, but only according to his will. If it is his will, than you can have it. That falls into the second reason, faith and learning. We have faith to leave it up to God, and learn his will for our lives by the answer we get.

But that circles back to pre-destination, giving up to Gods will, wich if its not pre-destined how would he have a will for you, so you must be pre-destined. But Christians are the only ones that fall under his will, so maybe it is only Christians that have a "plan" for their lives through God, making prayer necessary to follow the path.

I know I went in a circle there, and Im sorry about that, just wanted to show two sides for it.

Answer 7

God knows the end from the beginning because he is Omnipotent he is in all times and places at once. he knew before you were born if you would pray for your gran or brother that does not mean it is predetermined just he knows what you will do to me that makes it more important you pray and show you are a beleaver in his power

Answer 8

God knows all things. Yes.
Predetermined by God. NO. It is not. Absolutely is not.
YOU and YOU alone makes your decision in life to accept Christ or not.
Prayer is not predetermined. hahahahha. Who told this?

Understand this. >> There is NO predetermined life order for you. Period.
Why does the entire New testament encourage you to go forward and be Strong, remain strong.

Either you misunderstood predestination knowledge. Or someone has ZERO facts telling you this.

Good Luck. Hope this helps.

Answer 9

assupmtion that everything is predetermined?.....how do we know..?

If it is so, why some people are rich and some people poor?..some people are healty and some people suffer so much?
why is someone born with defects while some are born healthy?

are u saying god did all this?..then from that we can say that god is a hideous creature...god is partial...a tryrant...and not at all merciful....

god gave the same to everyone, earth is same to everyone, sky is the same to everyone...sun is the same to everyone....

death, hunger, thirst...time...air, water...god gave everthing equal...

a thief steals with the help of sun light....and if he caught...can he say "Oh sun, because of you I am caught"...

people are earning bread...people are helping others and lot of gread deeds are done under the sun...this idiot stole...is it sun's fault?? Its his own fault....

why do we go to work if everything is predetermined?...food will come to us...money will come to us...we should be fools to work all the time...we should be fools to try to help others if everything is predetermined..

If everything is predetermined, then we are slaves...there is no choice...we are eternally bound...its not freedom...

though its true that our past actions brought us to this stage...and our present actions will determine our future...it seems like everything is predetermined....coz what we do now is a result of past...all our beliefs, habits...and psychology of past make us do what we are doing now...and this again will determine what we will do in future...

but there is something behind all this.what people call a soul...which is struggling to reach freedom, or god or whatever one calls it.....

we have unlimited power inside of us which we are unaware of...and prayer unlocks that power and our prayers are answered...

sun shines on the just and the unjust...he is equal to all...

If a man does good or bad is not the sun's fault.....Its his nature to give light....what u do with is upto u..

so no one has the blame, no one has the praise....we reap what we sow...

Answer 10

Prayer does and can change events, Keep praying and mean it. I think he may know ahead of time what will happen but it is not predetermined by him. It is our choice because he gave us free will. Yes he has a plan but whether or not we go along with his plans for us is our decision. I'm sure his plans change according to whether or not we follow him.

Answer 11

We have free will and we choose our own path. God is omniscient and knows inevitable what will happen, but we always have the choice to do something. Prayer is supplication - letting God know our needs and wants (even though he already knows them).
Basically God gave us handbook on how to pray, and why we pray - it's all right in the Bible. Praying for people, or things you want/need is you bringing your requests before God and beginning to have faith that He is going to take care of you.