Why don't Christians normally pray for God to change the past?

Question

Christians (and other faithful people) normally pray often for God to perform miracles which violate the laws of physics. They believe this is possible because God can do anything. So when a terrible event occurs, why don't they pray for God to retroactively prevent it from occuring? Is God not capable of altering past events? Why not? Space, time, and laws of nature never seem to be a problem when God performs a miracle.

Answer 1

because its over, and they cant do anything about it. So why pray for the future instead? Beside we learn from the past. Everything has a purpose a reason, even the bads ones.

Answer 2

Life has a beginning, is continuous and an ending. When you talk about a miracle, the miracle happenned there and then. Like the parting of the Red Sea. It was parted when it was time and it was a desperate situation. Same also when the wine ran out during a wedding and Jesus had to perform a miracle to fill the jars with wine again at that time. In our own lives, let's say we were hit by a car but somehow survived. It is a miracle that happen there and then. There is no miracles like the ones you see in movies whereby things can go backwards or forwards in time. The laws of Physics is what the scientists know now but you should know that as we explore more and more of the universe, the laws of physics have to change too. If it is as easy as you said, why must Jesus die on the cross ?

Answer 3

Well I don't qualify as a mommy, but I'll answer anyway. I found Jesus when I was about 25 and since then I've taken my kids to church since. My daughter is a Christian and my son just goes to church. (he goes because he has friends there, not because I force him) I don't push my religion on them, it's up to them to decide. I have prayed with my daughter in the past, when she got saved actually, but it's not something we do on a regular basis. We do not pray before we eat because doing that makes prayer lose it's meaning and it turns into a chore, not an actual conversation with God. My kids and I don't pray aloud either because once again, it loses it meaning as a conversation with God. It should be private, and not said aloud just so others hear you praying. I've told them about my beliefs and of course answer any questions they have, my daughter is much more interested in what I believe and she'll read the bible to decide if I'm right or not. My son has learned almost everything about Christianity from church. I don't want to force it upon him because that will just push him away.

Answer 4

Prayer is a gift, and if you are a Christian and have a relationship with God, not just going to church on Sundays. I mean really love God and want him to do what is best in your life, then praying for the past would seem to be in contrast to having faith in him. To pray for the past means to be looking back when we should be looking forward. A lot of the times, the troubles we go through are the things that bring us to God, and make our relationship to him stronger. Sometimes the things in the past are what make us who we are and without those our paths would change and then who knows if we would be praying at all. If you have a true heart towards prayer, and really want Gods will, you will look forwards and seek him.
Then again, I am sure people have prayed for the past to be changed, and who is to say that it wasn't and we just never knew it? God is all powerful and nothing is beyond his limits, I know he could do it, maybe he has.

Answer 5

Again, we can remember the past, but can only be in the present. Each present moment leads to the future...people actually know this, and know they don't get positive results seeping away in past regret. When we live our best in the present, then the future unfolds better and better. We create our future. What the higher power is capable of doing, and what we are capable of doing are separate issues. Only people have the need/desire to change the past, not God.

Answer 6

Because God Is In Control. He does not stop things from happening. That is life. Cancer is life. Many people wonder why he did not keep them from getting cancer. But if you are a true Christian, finding out you have cancer or you are doing would be joyous. It means you will finally see his face. He knows what is going to happen and it is all in his plan. You just have to be ready when you are called. Don't wait until that time. We pray because there is power in prayer and you just let the Lord's will be done.

Answer 7

GOD can do anything but fail, christians do not ask GOD to change the past because it is just that the past. There are always going to be bad things happening, this is just part of life. This goes back to Adam and Eve.

Answer 8

Some Christians do.

Catholics pray for the dead.

One of the things we pray for is that the the dead person was right with God at the time of his (or her) death. God can do anything and is not constrained by a little thing like time.

With love in Christ.

Answer 9

Awesome Question....Because we only live in the present and look to the future very few live in the past but it is still a very interesting question....I have never thought of prayer like that something that could change the past so you think if I prayed real hard I could make it Adam that took the fruit first?

Answer 10

Well if God went back and changed things from the past, how would we know if he did or not. He just may do it all the time..maybe that's why we get dejavu...

**But the correct answer is that God never makes a mistake! therefore doesnt need to change the past =0)**

Answer 11

The bigger question might be that they have prayed to God to change their past - and it was granted - how would you ever know?

I know of no instance where a miracle violated time. In fact, you could argue all the miracles worked within the laws of physics - does that mean we can replicate them, no.