does it make sense to pray?

Question

shouldent prayer be something similar to meditation, rather than praying directly to an external God who never seems to be answering our prayers?

Answer 1

No ..

wait .. yes ....

well .. no to the first part and yes to the second.

:-)

Answer 2

I have to agree with Bonesofa Teacher. It seems to me that when most people use the word "prayer" they mean "Making God/goddess/the universe do what I want. That's not prayer - that's magic. Prayer is almost exactly the opposite; something along the lines of "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine."

In my (admittedly limited) experience, prayer usually does not involve words. There's an old Benedictine saying "Work is prayer" - and so it is, especially if it's done honestly and for honest reasons. (Sort of like the Buddhist ideas of "right action" and "right effort".)

C.S. Lewis said something to the effect of "Everything that takes place in a worship service should either glorify God, or strengthen His people on earth". May I suggest that this applies not only to worship, but to all human activity? If I could successfully apply this principle to my life, I feel that my whole life would be a prayer.

Answer 3

I see meditation and prayer as two forms of the same thing. Both are for self direction by a connection to the energy that flows throughout the universe.

When you are able to join with this essence you can receive intuitive answers to your questions. The answers are easy to find, it's finding the proper questions that is hard.

Call it "life", "nature", God or whatever idea you'd like. The vocabulary is not nearly as important as the idea.

Prayer is for guidance, not for making a list to Santa Claus. Be thankful and open to this understanding, whether it's the truth you wanted to hear or not.

Whatever blessing you receive are because you are living a good life and have brought them to yourself. Feel secure in your happiness that you deserve the feeling and see unhappiness as a message that you must reconnected to yourself because something is missing.

Answer 4

There are various types of prayer: meditations, contemplation, etc... What needs to be remembered is, what are you asking for? If you are asking for ending world hunger and wars - he's already answered that - we were put here to do that, we have the obligation of helping our brothers or sisters.

Other more specific prayers - intercessions for those you love - he always answers, just sometimes his answer is 'No'. We can expand on that at some other point.

Meditative is great, so is contemplative, so is vocal (as you seen in churches and prayer groups). Each has it's time and place when it is most beneficial to the individual. Prayer is of primary importance as it is a time when you are speaking and, more importantly, LISTENING to God. If you spend most of the time telling Him what you want, what you think, whatever, it leaves no room to HEAR Him, which is the most important factor. Sometimes, He sends his answers in other forms, such as through people you meet on the street, other times it may be through prayers, others it may be through a phone call of a friend.

When you pray, take time to just listen. I'm Catholic, so I spend time at the Blessed Sacrament, not to ask, but to contemplate, and to listen to Him. He has answered me, not always the way I want, but you have to be open to hearing it.

Hope that's of some help to you.

Answer 5

From a spiritual standpoint, I believe God answers prayers (even if you don't always get what you want, He hears you).

From an intellectual standpoint, it seems to me that prayer in any form should help, whether it is because you believe they will be answered or just simply for lifting the burden of what you are worried about. Kind of like you say meditation helps- it can relax you to let "someone else" take on your worries.

Answer 6

If you think as prayer as simply asking the universe instead of some father-like god - if you think of prayer as being very similar to meditation, why get hung up on words. The whole point of such activities is to bring the self into alignment with the cosmos. or god. or whatever you want to call it. changing the self will change your life. that is how prayer and meditation and all that stuff works. works great.

Answer 7

Yes God does answers prayers and it comes in three forms, "YES", "NO", and "Wait".

People have this notion that God is some kind of genie or a glorified bell hop. God knows what's good for you since He is a God.

You can just imagine the mess people in this world will be in if every single prayer was answered by God with a "YES".

Answer 8

Prayers are always answered, however you're given what you need, and not always what you want. The problem is that we forget quickly. We ask for things or for intervention or guidance, and when the issue is resolved, we move on, thinking we were totally responsible for it.

Meditation is good too, but it's not prayer.

Answer 9

God does what's best for us, even if it doesn't seem that way at the time. God hears all our prayers and he knows what's best for us. Some of Gods greatest blessings can be unanswered prayers. You must speak to God as you would a friend who's right in front of you. Ask him again and again until it's clear what he wants for you.

Answer 10

Prayer changes things, faith can move mountains, and with regards to God not answering your prayers, remember nothing happens before the right time, and sometimes the things we prayer for are not right for us at that moment in time, and we need to be patient.

Answer 11

Prayer is a very personal thing, and people do it in all sorts of ways and for many reasons, but usually to connect to a greater force beyond themselves. Prayers are answered based on need, not on desire, and often, the answers are within the person themself.