If prayer actually has the power to change God's mind or his behavior, then he is not sovereign. If it doesn't change God's mind, then prayer is a waste of time.
So why bother?
2006-12-02 04:46:21 · 15 answers · asked by ? 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You don't pray to change God's behavior, eh? Pardon my skepticism, but I call BULLCOOKIES, people!
2006-12-04 14:13:11 · update #1
We pray because that is how we talk with God. And we know that God is not a big "sugar-daddy" in the sky, granting us our wishes. Further, we are required to pray. Jesus did it, He is a great example. He also said "When you pray..." which has an assumption that we are to pray.
Prayer is nothing more than a conversation with God. But it also gets us in a position to hear what He wants us to do. It changes us, and our minds, getting us in line with His will. He also graciously gives us answers to our needs as well.
When I was a new Christian, most of my prayers were the selfish type. And God answered many with a "yes." Not all, but many. As I have grown in faith, and learned more about Him and His character, I started praying for others more often than myself. Now, the vast majority of my prayers are answered "yes."
Of course, if we don't believe He will answer us, we are "...like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord." (James 1:6-7)
And
"...for the one who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him." (Hebrews 11:6)
2006-12-02 04:57:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Prayers do not make Allah change His mind because it is destined that this good thing will happen for you because you prayed and that bad incident will befall you because you didn't pray. It is all already written and decided but you do not know it. Prayers heal, from a scietific point of view.
Do you know that modern science has proven that the word 'Allah' only has the power to heal if said with faith? We pray because we need to, not anything else.
Peace
2006-12-02 04:52:00 · answer #2 · answered by daliaadel 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because God calls us to pray- This is what He desires of those who Love Him....It is our fellowship with Him and our obedience and Love towards Him.
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
pray without ceasing,
1 Corinthians 7:5
Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
2006-12-02 04:55:37 · answer #3 · answered by Mandolyn Monkey Munch 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The purpose of prayer is not to change God's mind or behavior. If I am understanding it correctly, we don't pray for things to happen or not happen or to get things. We pray for God's will to be done and for us to be able to have the grace, wisdom and strength to accept it as it happens. We pray for things we hope to achieve through our inner self, such as peacefulness, serenity ... these things come through acceptance. Anyone who is praying to change God's mind either doesn't understand the purpose of prayer, or is in a desperate situation (such as the near death of a loved one, for example) and is just trying to bargain with God for an outcome of their own choosing. Time spent in prayer is not time wasted if it helps us feel better and be in a better place, similarly to meditation.
2006-12-02 04:55:50 · answer #4 · answered by Rvn 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't use prayer to try to change the minds of my deities. I pray to praise them and seek guidance. I pray to express gratitude for the blessings in my life. I pray to deepen my personal experiences with them.
2006-12-02 09:18:00 · answer #5 · answered by Witchy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pray has not the power to change God's mind. Infact pray is not a request to God, but it's a dialogue with him, understanding what he wants from you, knowing that what he wants from you is your perfect realization of the life, not orders from a master to his slave.
oh, and is very difficult...
2006-12-02 04:51:08 · answer #6 · answered by Embliri Trex 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God doesn't change his mind. He already knows the end from the beginning.
Prayer is useful for humans because it allows us to better understand God's will, and determine how to better cooperate with it.
When we successfully identify and cooperate with God's will, we come very close to the true destiny he had in mind when he created us.
When we don't, we suffer consequences ... sometimes tragic.
Prayer reminds us who God is, and it helps us to figure out who we are.
It pleases God, and it's good for us.
That's why we should bother with it.
2006-12-02 06:11:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It seems you consider PRAYER just as petition.
Prayer should be CONVERSATION, fellowshipping with God, thanking Him for what we read in His Word, thanking Him for a beautiful sunset, etc., etc.
I suppose your earthly parents would like (or have liked) when you just took time to talk with them, tell them about what your school day was like (even if they already knew), etc.
2006-12-02 04:55:05 · answer #8 · answered by kent chatham 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You pray when you want something ,A,k,a if you want someone to go to hevan (and there in purgatory) then prays will get them to hevan. And praying to help people i'd say was a good enough cause.
2006-12-02 04:57:22 · answer #9 · answered by Mare 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First...prayer changes us...we are submitting to God...Also...we can appeal to God, and he is still Sovereign if he decides to have mercy.
2006-12-02 04:53:05 · answer #10 · answered by chattinforgod 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋