What is the logic behind praying? (QUESTION FOR CHRISTIANS)?

Question

Ok so I have a question about the concept of prayer. Correct me if I am innaccurate, but don't Christians believe that God has already made up his mind about everything that is going to ever happen? I also assume that prayer is the act of asking God for a favor. However, if God has already decided what he's going to do, then isn't praying effectly asking God to change his mind and do what you want (assuming that what he has picked is the opposite of what you want).

I understand the meaning of prayer in the sense: "we all pray that you get better". In this case it could be equivalent to "we all want the best for you". However, why don't you just say "we all want the best for you" which is more accurate since it doesn't imply that what God has planned can be changed.

So is prayer nothing more than a social expression which has no real effect? I would like an explanation from Christians...

Answer 1

Even among the different groups within Christianity, there is much debate on questions very much like this one. I will begin my answer with some of your first questions.

First, not all Christians believe that God has absolutely decided everything that is going to happen. This view of having everything predetermined is called predestination. Such a view is prevalent among Calvinists and related branches and necessarily dictates that God has already determined who is going to heaven and who is going to hell, a notion called dualistic predestination.

Others believe, however, that God knows how everything will turn out, but He still leaves the choice to us to decide. These groups are those who profess that our free will is the determining factor, such as many Protestants today of non-Calvinistic descent.

Personally, I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. God does not want to condemn anyone to death, but wishes that all would come to repentance. Therefore, He has not predestined anyone for hell. However, we cannot will ourselves into heaven by an act of the will or by hereditary right. Therefore, our free will is not the final answer in finding salvation.

This being said, we will go onto the next question. By viewing God through the eyes of predestination, I understand your concern. If God has decided everything, why are we effectively asking Him to do something for us? However, this also demonstrates a common misperception of prayer, even among many Christians.

Yes, prayer is, in a sense, asking God to do something in our lives or in the lives of others. However, many view it, as well as worship in general, of which prayer is a form, as being something that we do in order to get God to act. Many believe that God remains inactive until we ask Him to do something and effectively invoke Him to action, whether it be in our own salvation or in other things, such as praying for the sick or our nation.

However, one only needs to look at the Gospel of Christ to understand that it is not what we do that saves us, but what Christ has already done for us. We did not pray that Christ would come, and then He came on account of our prayers. Christ came because God promised, even in the very beginning, that He would come and deliver us from our sins. The direction of action, therefore, is from heaven to earth, not earth to heaven, as many believe.

Prayer is then best viewed as a response to the love God has shown us through His Son Jesus Christ. It is also a response to the commandment that we honor and respect God, also known as the First Commandment. When we honor God in this way, He pours out His blessings because we are obeying Him, not because we worded the prayer cleverly or because we had enough faith to make Him act. In fact, faith itself is a gift from the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity who came into this world to bring us to Christ.

If you would like further explanation, feel free to ask further questions.

Answer 2

With that part you are inaccurate. Many times we see in Scripture where people like Lot, Abraham and Moses petitioned and God responded. Prayer CAN change outcomes.

Prayer has an interesting effect on people Ive noticed. It helps bond them. Did you know a divorce is 10 times less likely to happen to couples if they are praying together? Prayer has a way of focusing your life. Once you and others hear the things you are praying for, it better opens your mind and when you hear others praying vice versa. Prayer strengthens the individual and unleashes the only real power in the universe, GODS.

Answer 3

You are indeed incorrect. God doesn't have to make up His mind about everything that will happen in advance. He's God. The future isn't static. Many believe He exists outside of time. Many believe that the future is constantly shifting. If this, then… God, being all knowing and all seeing, would then be able to either answer or not answer depending on whether it leads us to where we need to be going. Try to consider that He has more than a few people and their respective futures to "juggle." I'm sure He has a plan for each of us, and a plan for our world.

Personally, I think God created us to live a certain way and to become certain people. None of us will ever attain either goal, that's what sin is essentially - living contrary to the original plan. So, along the way we're given choices, and our path changes depending on those choices. I believe God continually gives us opportunities to get back on plan, but it's up to us to do what's right. The easiest command we're given for this is to love one another. When we do that, things start to fall into place.

God is relational. He wants us to take time out of our lives to correspond with Him. That's a major function of prayer, not the only one. He answers prayers. I've seen strange and wonderous things occur in people's lives. I don't doubt that He answers prayer, but it's not primarily a favor asking exercise.

Answer 4

Go to Exodus and read how G-d said he wanted to wipe out Israel after they left Eygpt because they violated G-d's law and rebelled. Moses step in and pray to G-d to give them another chance. G-d spare them.

Prayer is far more than going to G-d as Santa asking for things, but it is more importantly time spent with G-d and listening to Him and sharing.

Prayer is also praying for people who are sick and hurting. All prayers are answer with the best answer. We may not understand at the time but in time you find out that the best answer was given.

Prayer with people is bounding of spirits and I have seen mighty moves when groups pray together.

Than again I know you don't believe what I am telling you. You just want to figure out a question to make Christians look bad.

That is your choice.

A real honest question would be nice for a change from people like you.

Answer 5

Prayer does have an effect. The future is not totally set. God can change things out of mercy. He does want the best for us, but we need to ask him. And much of prayer is just conversation with God. I mean what's the point of trusting God if you never talk to him? Prayer is not simply God do this or God do that, It's part of an ongoing relationship with God.

Answer 6

Answer from an atheist.

Prayer can probably be a good thing or a bad thing. If prayer helps you relax, focus on what's important, identify things you could do to improve your life and/or the lives of those around you I'm hard-pressed to find the downside in that.

If your prayer is intended to make someone else (god) responsible for your past or future actions, or is a request for god to take care of something that you should in fact be taking action on, or is a wish to injure those around around you then my opinion would be that those prayers are destructive.

But I find that I'm able to have these conversations with myself, inside my own head. Where a believer might say "god, give me wisdom" I say "what would the smart thing be to do in this situation" and then I formulate an answer. I think those who "received a message from god" are just doing the same thing except they are deceiving themselves into believing the response came from outside themselves.

Answer 7

Not only does God know what will happen, but He also knows why certain things will happen. That is, He knows that He is going to do something because people prayed for it even before people prayed for it. Even if God seems to change His mind, really, He does know everything that will happen, everything that we do, and everything that He will do before it is done. So, if you pray and your prayer gets answered, in your experience, a change has been made, but God knew that you were going to pray and planned on answering your prayer when you did even before you prayed it. But, if you chose not to pray at all, God will also know that you won't pray, and so He may decide not to answer.
Also, prayer is not just about asking for things, it is also about thanking God for things He has done in your life and talking to Him. It is important to pray for people, but if that's all that your prayers consist of, what kind of relationship with God is that?

Answer 8

Prayer is intersession. Many times we intersess for those who cannot pray for themselves. People who are sick, or in a coma, who are addicted to drugs or alcohol can't pray for themselves. People who don't believe in God won't pray for themselves. And there are those who don't know about God to pray for themselves. Prayers are requests made to God on the behalf of others mostly, and if a prayer is made according to God's will it will definitely be answered. However there are times that we pray and God's heart will be moved to change His plan, such as the case where God wanted to wipe out the Jews in the desert, for their consistent disobedience but Moses interceded for them and so He spared them. There are different kinds of prayers besides interceding. There is also prayers of repentance, which is acknowledging ones sins to God and receiving His forgiveness.
Prayer is just like having a talk with God about various issues in your life and about issues and events that are on your mind. Another type of prayer would be meditation where we think and pray to God concerning Him and His Word. It is a form of worship.

Answer 9

True Christianity does not believe in predestination (which is what you've described). As far as the purpose of prayer, just look at Jesus' model prayer at Matthew 6:9 - 13:
"Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth. Give us today our bread for this day; and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the wicked one."

Jesus was here teaching us to pray for several things, most of which weren't favors.

Answer 10

Oh no the best thing about God is when He hear the crys of His children He will and can move things...Like Joan and the whale,,the city was going to be destroyed but those people repented in sack clothe they hear the word of the Lord and repented and the Lord turn away His wrath..There has been many times this world has been spared by the call of His people...