People say all the time to keep praying about something if you are not receiving a response or the response you want. The Bible says not to be too repetitive with prayer though. And yet people still saying just keep praying. Shouldn't we pray then let go and let God and accept His answer even if it isn't what we want to hear? And isn't no answer usually a 'no' answer anyway? So if we keep praying we would be like little kids begging our parents for something we were told no for. But do we keep praying anyway for the same things? Or let go and let God? What are your thoughts?
2007-05-21 08:34:54 · 12 answers · asked by kwazeeme 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No answer can also mean not right now which may be God trying to teach us patience, faith, and humility, right?
2007-05-21 08:36:07 · update #1
There is a point when you need to stop asking and trust God for the answer. That point is after you pray the first time. Once you ask for it the answer is given. If you continue to ask and ask it is if you ask me this question, I answered it and then you keep asking me the same question. Trust God for the answer!!! What is needed to be done after you pray is begin to thank God for the answer and never doubt that God has your best interest at heart when you receive the answer, regardless if it be yes, no or wait.
Trust God and thank Him for the answer.
2007-05-21 10:58:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ah..this is a VERY good question. The answer is...yes and no.
No, we should not keep praying the same thing over and over gain if the prayer is "gimme gimme gimme". You are correct in saying we should "let go and let God". But to persevere in prayer for say, healing for someone who is sick or for the resolution of a difficult situation is perfectly okay. The difference is the condition of your heart.
When the bible talks about not praying repetitively, the context in which they are talking is in relation to what the pagans at the time were doing. They were saying the same prayers over and over again because they believed that the more times they prayed, the stronger the likelihood of it happening. Not because they trusted in their 'god'. They felt that they got power for themselves that way. That somehow, the more they prayed the better it made THEM. The bible cautions us to NOT pray THAT way.
The bible tells us to pray "unceasingly" for those things that are in line with God's will.
If you find that your prayers are continuously not answered, perhaps what you should be praying for is for God's will to be apparent in your life. If you truly know the NATURE of God, you will find that your prayers will match His nature.
I think there is a time to pray unceasingly and a time to pray and let it go. If you pray for something and are truly willing to take whatever answer that God gives you, you are on the right track. How many times or how often is really not the issue. The issue is what is the condition of your relationship with God and how well do you know His will for your life.
2007-05-21 08:44:46 · answer #2 · answered by teacherintheroom 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I remember when i was much younger I was dating a girl. I thought I loved her at the time, and things got very rocky. I prayed and I prayed that God would work it out. To a long story short it didn't work out.
A few years later I bumped into the girl and she began to tell me how she had shortly after leaving me developed a cocaine habit and became involved in a lifestyle that she now regrets.
Sometime I thank God for the prayers he doesn't answer.
I have a friend at church who wanted to buy a house. His heart was set on it. He prayed about it, and things did not work out.
A few years later he was in that neighborhood and stuck up a conversation with the owner of the house's father. The old guy went into a tirade about how he hated that house had a bad foundation and all the problems the house had.
But I understand what you mean.
What I do is I pray for guidance and wisdom. God doesn't have to explain himself but it's amazing how often he chooses to anyway.
BD
2007-05-21 08:55:53 · answer #3 · answered by The Brian 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure where you think the Bible suggests not to be too "repetitive" with prayer, that doesn't sound Biblical at all. I do believe the two responses when you feel like a prayer isn't answered is either "no", or it could be "wait". Whatever it is... it may not be God's time for it yet.
2007-05-21 08:42:00 · answer #4 · answered by Scott B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
repetitiveness and persistance are difference. repetitiveness is when you make your prayers clichéd and no longer of virtue, as it just becomes habit when you say the same words over and over. but P.U.S.H.ing is different: you don't need to say the same prayer, just honestly believe/have faith and ask for it to work out without giving up, like the woman and the judge parable.
answers from God should be accepted yes, but of course, we need faith. yes you need to understand that God can say "no" or "not that way", but you also need to understand that if you get what you want instantaneously all the time, then you can end up taking it for granted, or your faith weakens. it's like "I have faith that the sun is going to rise tomorrow". now don't go into the technicalities of that please. there's basically a 100% chance that that will happen (as the world won't stop spinning until it's destroyed, which'll take atleast 1007 years post-rapture), so it takes nothing. as for "I will live to see tomorrow", that's very dependant, as you don't know when you'll die for certain, whether the rapture will happen or some hypothetical situation occurs.
2007-05-21 08:46:00 · answer #5 · answered by Hey, Ray 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Prayer
Matthew 6: 5-8
5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But 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. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
These are words from Jesus.
I believe prayer is answered in God's time and God's will.
2007-05-21 08:54:06 · answer #6 · answered by Spoken4 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Remember the parable of the persistent woman and the corrupt judge. If you really, really want something, you should continue asking for it. Either you were meant to have it eventually or you were not. And in the process, you may eventually discover the way to get it, or you may come to realize that it's not really what you wanted after all. Asking is harmless. But asking is not the same as having. You still don't know how the request will resolve itself.
2007-05-21 08:42:43 · answer #7 · answered by skepsis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He did say pray without ceasing..
You might consider this example.
There were two farmers... Both prayed for rain for their crops. One prepared his fields and the other waited by the television set to hear if rain was coming...
Who believed God and stepped out in faith?
Now you have to ask yourself a question... Are you like the farmer preparing for rain?
2007-05-21 08:48:37 · answer #8 · answered by James B 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
true we can't put God to the test by praying to Him and saying well if you do this then I'll do that. You don't wanna test the God of all creation. yes he is trying to teach us humility and patience which most of us seem to lack these days.
2007-05-21 08:40:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The best prayer, according the the middle ages theologian Meister Eckhart, is "Thank you!"
2007-05-21 08:47:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋