If God's will is always done, and one cannot CHANGE his will, what is the point of praying?

Question

I mean if you pray for something that IS God's will, it's going to happen anyway regardless of whether you pray for it or not. If you pray for something that is NOT God's will, it's NOT going to happen regardless of whether you pray for it or not. So, EITHER WAY there appears to be no reason to pray for something. It's either going to happen according to His will or it won't happen according to his will. Your praying will have ZERO effect on God's will. Is there some flaw to this argument?

oremus fratres said 'God's Will is frequently THAT we pray for something and then He will give it to us. "Ask and you shall receive".'

Does this mean that unless we pray for this 'something', we will NOT receive it? Even if it's God's will that we receive it? Why would God require us to ask if He knows our desire already? Why would He demand this kind of attention? Either the thing desired is His will or it is NOT His will. There is no in-between.

Answer 1

Things happen against God's will because people don't pray when God asks them to. Jesus Christ works through His Church and we are to pray continually for one another, whenever God puts someone on our hearts.

Whatever is not of faith is sin. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. God's final purpose is going to happen. There are many saved by the blood of the Lamb.

But God's will is also that we have choice. That makes us more interesting to Him. It also makes us individual. There are consequences to wrong actions. There are rewards for right actions. Life trials teach us how to respond & mature. God wants us to pray faith prayers abiding in His will & His Promises & His Love. Ask what you will and it will be done for you. Build up your most Holy Faith, praying to God in the Spirit & in Truth.

Was 9/11 God's will? It was not God's will. It was the god of this age (Satan's) will. God was in it getting some peoples attention. Protecting some, yet allowing some to die. One stewardess on flight 11 replaced another at the last minute. Also, 3 times before, the replacement flight attendant was witnessed to about Christ's Salvation. The 3rd time she accepted Jesus into Her life. The next day was 9/11. While the surviving flight attendent suffered survivor guilt, God let Her know of the one (months later) who replaced Her & died (went to heaven). Someone prayed over Her & said, "Child, God's not finished with you yet. No one's life is more valuable than another."

It is God's will that we pray in faith. Not doing it is against God's will.

Sin is doing something against God's will. He wants us to confess our sins to Him so He can make us right. He is the potter & we are the clay.

Answer 2

GOD listens if you really want something or need it he will listen and answer your prayers
God can do whatever he wants if you want a new car he can give it to you or not
if you are out partying all the time and you dont go to church read the bible or pray and suddenly you ask God for a car he wont give it to you -that prayer has no effect
if you are a sinner asking in prayer for forgiveness -that prayer has an effect
and if you know God you follow his will for you and pray for that car he will give it to you in any way
thats the beauty of God anything you want he will give it to you aslong as you are good with him and its nothing that you dont have the power to do
remember God has a will and a plan for everyone prayer is a very important thing if we dont have it how will we communicate with God
trust me prayer has a huge effect on us

Answer 3

Good question.

God loves the world, but that doesn't mean He's sitting up there pulling the strings on everything that happens.

I believe that there are so many things -- good, bad, or neutral -- that just happen. There are also things that happen as a result of human action. It's not a matter of God imposing His will on a situation or of controlling what happens.

So, prayer is important because we need to communicate with God. We need to pray to Him not just to ask Him for things or to pave the way for something to happen -- but also to praise Him, to thank Him, and to recognize His presence in our lives.

Sure, God may already know that we would like to see a sick loved one get better, or that we would like to be watched over while we do something difficult or dangerous.

But praying for these things is important anyway because it lets God know that we know He's there. It's also important because we need to let ourselves know that God is there -- and what better way to do that than through prayer.

Answer 4

Ya know, I'm a Christian and that's an excellent question. I don't even know the answer. Even Dr. Charles Stanley who is a very popular Baptist minister said that We can't change God's will. He say that praying puts us in a position to accept God's will. I don't buy that either. I just like praying because I like talking to him. Nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about changing God's mind. In the old testament it talks about people that pleaded with God to hold back his anger but nothing about changing God's will. Man, that opens up the Pre-destination argument.

Answer 5

Only a Spiritual Person would Understand the Question you just ask, The Statement God's will done is that His Purpose concerning his Kingdom will come and this is what we should Pray for and those who pray for God's Kingdom to come lets God know that this is what we as his servants are in agreement to/with. The point of Praying is this: The State/Condition of this world as we see it is not a good one and is getting WORSE, 2Timothy 3:1-5 (read this) So those of us who seek relief who are so very fed up with the crime rate,violence death, Would want to Pray for God's will to be done, although his(Will) will be done any person in their RIGHT MIND would PRAY for his will to be done this is saying again that one would need GOD (Ps.83:18) To bring about his solution soon. Example: When someone expects me to do something for them or plan to make me apart of something and they may ask me WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DO THIS? OR ARE YOU PLANNING ON ATTENDING? Most Spiritual persons MIGHT SAY: "If it is GOD'S WILL" That means If it's Meant to be It will be. What most persons fell to realize each day is not PROMISE TO US, And Many of us Take for granted of that. Each day I wake up I Thank God for allowing me to Live/See another day.

Answer 6

The purpose of praying is that sometimes what we ask for earlier in life may not be what we really want at all later in life as our personalities change say around other people for example: you like a boy this year next year you wonder what was I thinking? Also you sometimes forget one year to the next some of the prayers you ask of God remember we're not like angels we have free will to chose.

Answer 7

The point is that our own will should be in alignment with Gods perfect understanding. It is normal for us to desire things that are not from God, but it is humbleness that brings us to put aside things that are not in our best interest. It takes a certain amount of faith and trust in God. And yes, sometimes we don't get what we ask for but we get what we need. If we ask of God and have righteous desires that are in alignment with his will they will be granted and this pleases God. Sometimes we keep asking for something that isn't in our best interest and he grants it to us, usually causing us some pain or suffering or just delay in something that could have been avoided. Its all about developing a relationship with God. It is very personal and intimate. Even Christ when he was on the cross asked for this cup to be taken from him, nevertheless not my will but thine be done. He trusted in the Father, suffered and RESURRECTED.

Answer 8

Our Father, which art in heaven
Hallowed be thy Name.
They Kingdom Come; They Will Be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

We are praying that we can do the will of God in our lives. God's will and our own free will collide most of the time. We pray to ask for forgiveness of our sins that we commit each and every day. We pray to ask God to bless and heal others. We pray to talk to our Heavenly Father.

God is our Father. Jesus is our Brother. Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ are together in one mind and heart through the Holy Spirit that binds us together. We are a family.

How long would you feel close to your family if you never talked to them? We pray because the Holy Spirit in us cries out to God when we are not able to, when we are in sin, or when we are grieving, sad, frustrated, angry, or in whatever funk we humans get into sometimes. When we can't form the words to pray, the Holy Spirit will pray for us on our behalf.

Answer 9

God knows what will happen, that is true. And by the way, most Christians begin their prayers with, "If it is God's Will, please..." True Christians do not want anything that is not God's Will. Prayer never goes unheard and it most certainly the most powerful tool we have been given on this earth. God's Will is frequently THAT we pray for something and then He will give it to us. "Ask and you shall receive".

Answer 10

Wow. I never thought about it that way. It's a really good point. According to pre-destination, God already knows what's going to happen and His decisions are final and right. Why would prayer do ANYTHING AT ALL?? I mean besides make us temporarily feel better...Is is possible that the entire purpose of prayer is to make us temporarily feel better? A kind of self-therapy?