Can someone give me a good reason to request something in prayer?

Question

Other than the power of positive thinking. If God is perfect, then he already knows what he's going to do in regards to the situation you're praying about. Are you going to change his mind with your pleading? If you think so, then doesn't that indicate that God isn't perfect, since his original solution wasn't actually the best one after all? What is the power of prayer then?

I should have been clearer, I meant request prayers specifically. Such as:
"please let me pass this test"
"please heal my sick body"
"please help the Lions win the Superbowl"

Still, the only answers I see that actually try to provide insight are essentially saying that God knows what he wants, but he also likes to hear you beg anyway. Am I wrong? Do people not REALLY pray with the expectation that their request will be answered in they way they want?

22 hours and still no real answer. The bulk of the replies seem to be that you do it becasue the bible tells you to, that you feel better about yourselves for blindly doing what your church says you should do to affect changes in your current situation. Nothing I see addresses the apparent paradox of BEGGING A SUPPOSEDLY FLAWLESS BEING to do something, in the hope that what you want to be done will be done. Is it to hedge your bets? Do you think God will change his mind if you pray hard enough? What is the rational point? Psychosomatic effects from a positive mindset seem to be the only reason to ask for anything from God.

Answer 1

Sorry, you already figured it out. The power of prayer rests entirely in the psychological effects it has on the people involved. It's nothing but placebo effect.

Answer 2

Prayer is the opportunity for me to communicate with God in a personal, private, intimate way. I have learned over the years the difference between a short, tossed off the top of my head prayer (which feels like it goes nowhere and has no depth at all) to a heartfelt prayer, where I really take the time to talk to God about a certain situation.

One of the reasons we pray is because Jesus asked us to; more than once. He said to come before God with thanksgiving, and present our "petitions", to cast our cares on God, because He cares for us.

You're absolutely right, there is nothing that God doesn't know. It's not my intent to "manipulate" God when I pray to Him. I try to always say, as Jesus did, not my will, Father, but yours.

I don't try and figure God out, to second guess Him; what I do is bring to Him my heart and my need, and trust Him with the outcome.

Answer 3

you have to believe and really trust God to have any power in the prayer. a prayer thats only 10 seconds long wont have any power. God knows when you are really sincere and really want somehting by your prayers.


here are a couple of passages where people have prayed to God and he answered

2 Kings 20:5
"Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, " I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD.

1 Kings 9:3
The LORD said to him, " I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.

1 Kings 8:29:
29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.

Answer 4

Although God is omnipotent and all knowing.......Prayer is just another level in your faith. If you believe your life is already planned out and set for you&God knows your destiny prayer may seem frivilous BUT its just another of those things that renews your faith in the lord.

Prayer is not only about asking for things. Its personal between you and the Lord its just one of those things that brings your or makes you FEEL closer to the lord. Its therapy when you dont want to speak with someone or cant........Its a way to open your mind and let your thoughts flow freely from judgement or opinions just between you and the lord. Often it may seem as though you're talking to yourself but in those words and prayers even if you dont hear the lord speaking back to you, you often may find solice in just knowing or feeling that you are being heard and not judged.........even at the end of the prayer you may have just opened up in your mind an answer that was there all along and before bowing in prayer and just giving your mind the freedom to think freely you werent aware you knew ........

Alot is derived from prayer albeit a small task or even in some peoples eyes pointless Hope and Faith are renewed each time you say Amen.........

Courage..........Strength........Love........The Power to OVERCOME Adversity.........The Will to go on another day......and so on and so forth..........Prayer is HOPE to some and sometimes as a last resort it becomes a new outlook on life and a second chance a living...........

Pointless as it may seem you always get something out of it.....Its just spiritual theres no real explanation...........

Pray to understand.........pray for guidance...........pray for health long life and LOVE..........

And as the saying goes.............God may not come when you call..........BUT the lord is always on time.........

Have A Blessed Day........Life is Fragile.........Handle With Prayer :)

Answer 5

God does know all your needs and wants, but he wants to hear from you. He wants to know you have enough faith to ask Him for what you want. Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship. All these church people that try to look good ruin the whole reputation of Christianity. A good, true relationship with the Lord should be your quest, your passion. The power of prayer comes from having a relationship with God, and knowing he will answer.

Answer 6

Prayer, much like religion itself, is a simple matter of faith. It is believed that every living person has the ability to heal, to harm, and literally shift the momentum of reality simply through the process of will. This being said, prayer is the affect of openly realizing your desire to change something for the better, and making that first step towards it becoming a reality.
"God" creates imperfect situations in the world not so much as a fault in "his" divine perfection, but in a rough attempt to test your will and see how it it you handle the things handed to you in life. Your actions, your faith, and your resolve will ultimately be confronted and therefore, as many Christians believe, be judged.

Prayer is an act of faith in yourself, simply put.

Answer 7

If you're interested in whether there is any power in prayer, then check out the results of a massive study when prayer was put to the test:

http://www.slate.com/id/2139373/nav/tap1/

There's also a great menu of reasons to explain the results if they're not to your liking. Number 1 is obviously the answer but not nearly as inventive as the others.

Answer 8

Is God perfect? Or is God in fact imperfect like any father? Is the choice yours to make? Is He just waiting for you to come and ask Him for help? If that is it, then pray away.
I guess no one can answer what it is God wants, can they? It is best to just cover your bases.

Answer 9

God and Jesus want you to talk to them in prayer because they desire to have a deep relationship with you. They want to walk with you every step of every day, and for you to grow closer to them. When you do this God promises to give each of us a peace the transcends understanding. Prayer is us talking to God, the bible is God talking to us.

Answer 10

I can give you a great reason: the fact that it doesn't hurt you any to do it.

Besides, your relationship with God shouldn't just be a one way street - if you expect him to be maker, friend, protector.... isn't it disrespectful to think oneself above even talking to him? Why should he labour in silence for you?

Answer 11

it sounds as though you believe in destiny. the bible teaches us that we as human beings have free will. god doesnt listen to our prayer as to correct things in our lives just because we ask for it. wouldnt that make him our servant instead of us his. no, god listens to prayers of ritious ones. people who not only ask for help but put forth effort to help themselves and prove to god that are trying and not simply asking for him to do all of the work. god helps us when he sees that the function of our heart is in the right place. god doesnt decide outcomes of our problems. that would take away our free will. god helps us have good outcomes when we also work towards good outcomes.