If God knows what you are thinking, why do you have to pray?

Question

Couldn't you just think a prayer, instead of saying it out loud? In fact, you shouldn't even have to do that: God should know what you are GOING to think before you think it, so if you were going to think about praying for something tomorrow, why doesn't God just go ahead and grant it today?

I don't think He's using His powers of omnipotence or omniscience very effectively.

And don't say it's because He has got better things to do than answer all my prayers before I ask them. If He's as concerned as y'all say about who has sex with whom, I'm sure He has got plenty of free time on His hands.

Answer 1

I could answer this question, but why? I see that all you are interested in is arguing, and that will benefit neither you or I. When you learn that just arguing is pointless and want to expand you knowledge of the universe, come back and ask a sincere question.

Answer 2

Just by thinking you are praying. You don't have to say it out loud as you are right God knows what you are thinking and what you are wanting. If a 3 year old wants to grab a scalding iron, would you let them? Just because we want, think, and pray for things does not mean they should be granted by God. I'll grant the fact that from our human perspective it appears that what we pray for would benefit us or others. But, in the grand scheme of things, I believe we are living in a world where fate and free will have come together and are happening at the same time. Things happen in this world for us to learn and improve spiritually. Unfortunately, we do not know or comprehend the whys and hows....especially when the bad things happen. Perhaps we live as good a life as we can. Treat others with the brotherly love we would want to be treated with and we will find the answers when our journey here is over. Good luck in your search.

Answer 3

Simply because of this: vocalizing, or at least thinking, about a definite request or praise that one might have for God can be benificial in many ways. Sometimes, when we pray for certain things many times, after a while one might notice some things that they may have stopped worrying about so much, simply because it isn't as important as they thought it was, whereas the important things remain in their prayers. Also, as a previous answered stated, Christianity is a relationship with God. If you had a great friend, closer than a brother, but after a while you just sort of stopped talking to him, to the point where you hardly thought about him, do you think that that frienship would remain, or at least that you would remain very close to that friend? No. God created us, and He knows more than anybody that we need regular "connection" time with our friends. Prayer, in a basic sense, is just that. It's the time we set aside from our normal routine of work or school, time where we talk with God. He might speak to us through His Word, or any other way He chooses. But although He knows our every thought, we still need to bring our petitions and praises before His throne by way of prayer. a good book on the subject is "With Christ in the School of Prayer", by Andrew Murray. You can find it for a very reasonable price on Amazon. Hope this helps, God bless!

Answer 4

God indeed knows what is in your heart. However He has also created human beings with an instinct of worship. That's why you can see people are trying to find the God in any religion, one prays to stone, one prays to human (Jesus) and one prays to animals..etc. However all the worship and glory belongs to God and therefore only God is to be worshipped. At the same time, humans are judged based on their actions. When you pray to God, you prostrate to Him and the whole surrounding will be a witness to it. On the judgement day as God says the tongue won't talk, but your hands, legs, eyes will talk. If you prayed to God with your hands raised to sky, your hands will be a witness on that day. If you went to prayer hall walking your legs will talk on that day and will be a witness to that action.

The reason why the tongue will not talk is, because it has talked in this world. And sometimes/most of the times it has talked lies. Therefore tongue will be sealed on the Judgement Day. And if you are wondering how the hand can talk, then you should think God has made the tongue that is a piece of flesh to be able to talk don't you think He can't make the hand talk? And He is All Powerful.

This is based on Islamic Teachings, which is the same religion that God sent after Judaism and Christianity were corrupted by it's followers.

Answer 5

You have answered a question that I believe millions of people would like to receive the answer to. I agree that God knows what all is thinking but you need to pray in order for God to know for sure if what you are thinking is something that you really really want. Think about it. Everyone wants to be rich, and if God chose to make this true for everyone then that would cause world trouble, money is the root of all evil. If you become rich, one may think that they do not need God in their life anymore.
And it is not specified that you have to pray outloud, you can pray to God without even opening your mouth-Remember HE already knows what you are going to pray for. God could make this a perfect world but remember HE already did that and it was destroyed by serpent & the apple.
If God appeared before you today, would you know what you would ask HIM? or do you believe that you should not have to ask him because He knows what you want.
I know what I would say, do you.

Answer 6

While you were a small child your parents knew you and your likes and dislikes. We are as small children to God for he was from before time.

Your parents have food on the table you don't want to eat and yet you will say" "I don't like peas." Now why did you think it necessary to tell your parents when they already knew?

You are to let your Heavenly Father know just as you let your parents know that which they already know. Sometimes they will not ask that you try the peas and there may be another time that they were prepared differently and they ask you to at least taste the peas. Ugh, I don't like peas.

I don't know that you do have to pray aloud for the Bible says to pray in secret. I know that we may speak the words but no other people need be around. You are to tell your Heavenly Father and some times the answer is no or not now or yes. It could be that like the peas there has been a change.

Are you saying that Y'all want to say something about sex and not peas. Sorry I am not the mind reader that God is.

When it came to TIME he took the TIME to make TIME to send his Son to save you soul from eternal damnation. Was it TIME well spent?

Answer 7

I believe that praying isn't just a thing we SHOULD do. I believe it should be a normal, everyday thing we WANT to do. Praying is NOT just sending a letter to God once and a while via snail mail, it IS having a conversation with God, talking to him like you would talk to a friend, because he is your friend. He is your father, your confidante, your protector. Tell him everything: your joys, your worries, your stresses. Tell him that you are scared about the SAT you have tomorrow. Tell him that you are mad at so-and-so. Yes, he already knows what you are thinking, but he wants you to talk to him. He wants to be a part of your everyday life, not just a ritual or a magic trick. If he granted everyone's prayers in advance, there would be nothing to ask for, nothing to pray about, nothing to worry about, and then, there would be no reason for faith. The whole point of being a follower of Christ is to have a one-on-one relationship with him, and to talk to him all the time.

I am going to pray for you, even though I don't even know you, because I know God is listening, he's right there to talk whenever I want, and he's there for you too. All you have to do is believe, confess your sins to God, and admit that you need him in your life.

God bless you!

Answer 8

You could think a prayer. Prayer is part of a dialogue you have with the Lord. We also have something called freewill. God knows exactly what your going to do, but He also knows exactly what you would've done had you been influenced by someone else, or tripped over a rock, or scored a goal, or etc. Its your choice to pray to God, and benefits you. God is not the one in need for a relationship, its man.

Answer 9

we are no longer at a loss for words in any respect....you heard people say my proper pal is acquainted with each thing about me, surely because you 2 have communicate each thing, because you've a relationship, with the help of conversing with one yet another, or perhaps as your moms and dads may know you've executed something before you're saying something... or the seem on your face even as they know something is inaccurate and they wait so that you'll come to them to inform them, for you that could actually help you... the most severe GOD (Psalms 80 3:18) be conscious the Bible is his way of conversing to us...and in case you seem on the Bible as sixty six letters from him it would not be confusing to ascertain, you receives to understand his likes and dislikes, his traits, his enemies, and his objective etc...and once you pray to him even-in spite of the reality that he already know whats incorrect he basically want you to open up an tell him, so he can help you out... a lifeless ringer for a loving figure might want to. The more desirable you communicate with him he receives ever in route of you (James 4:8)....

Answer 10

What you are saying id very close to what the Bible teaches. God does know our prayers before wask them, and He does sometimes answer them before we ask, but He still does tell us to ask, and to pray continully. Prayer does not have to be out loud, in fact far more prayer is in the thoughts than in our speaking.