does this act of prayer not just empty your conscience of guilt, for not taking direct action. I see prayer as a way to satify your conscience, not as a way to help others
2007-09-29 03:24:35 · 32 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Eyelovesjesus, makes a good point, but this question is aimed at the ones that pray for people that they do not know, or they have not met, but feel some sort of empathy for. This is about action, is prayer the only action available to you, if not, why do you not act, why do you just pray and think that that is enough. you are cleansing your conscience and passing the responsibility to your God!
2007-09-29 04:18:23 · update #1
civilization needs more people of action
2007-09-29 04:20:00 · update #2
If you pray for someone in need and their situation changes, you interpret that it is down to the power of your prayer, but If you pray and pray and pray, but nothing happens, then it is Gods will! it is a 100% foolproof system of lies and deceit, whichever way the coin drops, God wins? c'mon!
2007-09-29 04:48:31 · update #3
Oddly, the believers I know of who have been in despair have benefited more from my actions than the prayers of their friends.
2007-09-29 03:29:34 · answer #1 · answered by Rev. Still Monkeys 6 · 1⤊ 4⤋
If someone you know is in despair and you are powerless to help him/her, prayer may be the only option. Few pray when things go well, but when everything is hopeless, few don't.
Here is an example. When Jesus was on the cross, he said "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"[Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34] which is a prayer for the suffering [Psalms 22]. They were the last words Jesus spoke.
Answer: Do you really think prayer is just emptying your conscience of guilt for not taking direct action when no action is possible? I think not.
2007-09-29 03:43:33 · answer #2 · answered by J. 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When people pray together for anothers needs,
it works!
There may not be an instant reaction, but you keep up the vigilance of prayer for as long as it takes.
I have been on the recieving end of prayers said for me. And now I pray for others.
I can see what you mean when you say, it could be a way of satisfying your own conscience. But really for me and many, it's our
conscience that prompts us to pray for those
who are in dire need, one way or another.
Everyone has different views about prayer, and I respect that. Just thought I would give you mine!
2007-09-29 03:49:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Prayer, spells, intentions or whatever your particular system of belief subscribes to IS action. While I may not be able to physically aid everyone I wish to, I can certainly keep them in my thoughts. People who know I'm thinking of them have reported on multiple occasions that they knew I was with them in spirit. That may be hogwash to some, but the mere knowledge that a person is thinking of them is comforting at times.
Of course, James said "Faith without works is dead", and Jesus said that it's one thing to say "Be well", and quite another to insure that they are fed and clothed. Intentions alone cannot feed another, but I believe that the combination of action, when one is capable of of it, and thought or prayer when one is incapable of action can certainly accomplish more in an individual's life than either alone.
If I am in need, while an individual may begrudgingly offer what is physically required to sustain life, it will certainly not please me to accept that which was offered with ill will or under duress. On the other hand, the simple knowledge that a friend is praying for me, while perhaps not directly assisting my physical situation, could certainly help in lifting my spirits.
2007-09-29 09:27:04 · answer #4 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Preach on brother! I think all that prayer stuff is really just something that is designed to just sound meaningful, anyway! It's right up there with "my heart goes out to you"--if you can help someone, then help them. If you can't, then I have no problem with expressing your sympathy, but be original and really mean it--don't just say something that sounds like you mean something, but it's nothing more than lip service and empty plattitudes!
2007-09-29 11:09:45 · answer #5 · answered by starkneckid 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To just say "I'll pray for you" can be a cop-out, yes; if that person needs comfort and we are able to offer it, we should do so to the very best of our ability. They may just need someone to listen, if so we should make the time to hear them. If they need help finding resources for assistance of any kind, we should do that too. If we can meet their needs ourselves, by all means we should step up and do so. And in addition to that, we definitely should pray for them. Sometimes, under the circumstances, it is truly all we can do.
2007-09-29 03:35:39 · answer #6 · answered by Clare † 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Do you think that if you teach somebody to fish that they will have learned it. No really it depends on who is teaching. And in prayer it depends on God and what He sees fit for every one of His creations. You can pray for someone to get well but sometimes it doesn't go into God's whole plan for us all. If it was their time to go then it was their time to go. Prayer is more of a way to stay connected to God. He hears everybody's prayer and He will answer it according to His plan.
2007-09-29 13:00:04 · answer #7 · answered by SMX™ -- Lover Of Hero @};- 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hello silver tongue.. :)
I have used this analogy here many times before..but my daughter who was at deaths door (the doctors wanted me, to remove her from life support)..
She was on dozens of prayer request sites and many different faiths were praying for her healing..
I had no other action to take, but to give her life to God..that was the only direct action that was left at our disposal.. :(
My conscience was not satisfied..but my heart was jumping for joy..when she came out of her coma and said: Thank-You Jesus..Praise the Lord..(she was not a believer until that time)..
My sweet daughter also told me of angels coming to visit her (while she was in a coma) and they told her that God had sent them, to comfort and console her heart.. :)
She now helps others by sharing, how her Mom never gave up on her..though the odds were stacked against her.. :)
In Jesus Most Precious Name..
With ~Love~ your "Friend" In Christ.. :)
2007-09-29 03:40:40 · answer #8 · answered by EyeLovesJesus 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
no, i have SEEN preyers answered!! when it says that GOD will make a way, when there seems to be no way, is correct!! there have been so many times when i have thought, "there is absolutely no way this is gonna work, i dont know how we're gonna do it" and then, at the last minute, its taken care of.....look at kaleb schwade... they gave that baby ver little chance of survival, and gave him almost no chance of ever livng a normal life. the mo was a devout christian, and they had sooo many preyers goin out for him.. that is definitely the work of GOD.
"he never promised that the load would not get heavy, or the hill would not be hard to climb. he just promised help would always come in time."
2007-09-29 03:32:28 · answer #9 · answered by heather b 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Interesting question. To me prayer is sending positive energy to the one in despair, not asking some supernatural being to help out a friend in need - or myself for that matter. I firmly beleive that prayer is nothing but a self-dialogue when we're in need. And it works :)
P.S. Here's a big virtual hug for you, just in case you need one.
2007-09-29 03:37:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Never ever under any circumstances underestimate the power of prayer. it does not always turn out the way we ask (Maddie) but often brings other strengths and needs with God in his wisdom provides. I can not answer the questions of starvation, war and disease . I do not have any answers
2007-09-29 06:20:55 · answer #11 · answered by Scouse 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋