♥ Am I praying wrong or what?

Question

Okay, the past few years I was reading the bible regularly and praying at least once a day. But when I sat back and thought about it, I realized when I'm praying I've never gotten the feeling that God is listening. I would just feel like I was talking to myself and I was the only one hearing it. Why do I not feel God's presence? Am I doing something wrong?

Answer 1

God is always there and always hears your prayers. That does not mean he will answer them right away or the way you want him to. You can't pray wrong, there is no wrong way, unless you ask him things selfishly. He is there, and is it ok to doubt. God will always lead you back. Continue praying and reading and one day you will feel his presence. Just look out at the world who else but God could have made the trees and the sky and the people. Just look at how comlex our world is and you will feel him with you.

Answer 2

I would claim that he is not listening because he does not exist.


Did you know that the double blind studies on prayer have shown that it has zero effect. There have been many studies on the effect prayer has on sick people.

People who pray for themselves to be healed can achieve the same result as meditating with no appeal to a deity.

People who are told that they are being prayed for can achieve the same result as being told that these (sugar) pills will help them. Some people who are told that they are being prayed for actually do worse because they think that they should be getting better because of the prayers. If they do not they can become highly stressed out about it, which then makes their condition worse.


Think about it.
You are asking a god that is supposedly all knowing and all powerful to do something because you want it to happen. Does he not already know what you want? He is supposed to be all knowing. He should have known exactly what you would want and what is best for you before he created the universe. ALL knowing remember. And he can do anything. So he could have created the universe in just the right way that the thins you want to happen would happen, or not as he saw fit. ALL powerful.

So here you are, a finite being with limited power and knowledge trying to tell an (alleged) all knowing, all powerful being what to do. How much sense does that make? Has he not already set things in motion for the best possible outcome?

Or maybe he just likes to hear people beg.

Answer 3

Your answer begins at Matthew 7:7-8 ...

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

And it ends with a heartfelt desire to be with God in the spirit. And that can be a stumbling block. It's not so much that you're doing something wrong, but maybe your heart's not completely in it.

I've had those days where i would have been better off not praying at all. But when I get serious about my relationship with Him, it's like a whole new world for me. The power of the Holy Spirit comes and lifts me up on wings of angels.

But even when you feel He's not listening, He really is. He just may not be responding in a way you can understand. So ask the Holy Spirit for help, the kind that will get you and God on the same wavelength.

And as frustrating as it may be, don't give up.

Answer 4

It's tough when you feel like no one is there, but know that God is always watching and loving you!

Feeling God's presence is something that takes some practice, for lack of a better word. And not feeling His presence isn't an indication that He's gone, sometimes He's harder to feel. I know for me that when I'm in times of emotional distress, I find it very hard to feel God. I'm not entirely sure why (I'm thinking it's because I'm so focused on my feelings I forget to reach out to Him), but I know it happens.

Praying is just a conversation, like you're chatting with a best friend. Just like conversation, there should also be a period of listening. I've had several goosebump moments in my life because I was just sitting quietly and listening, and I felt something.

I've also had long, long sessions of spiritual dryness, when I couldn't get to God, no matter how hard I tried.

Don't give up!

Answer 5

When you pray do so over and while reading the Word. But sometimes you do have to be still and know that He is God. Do not Count on your feeling cause let's face it, our emotions can change with the weather or if someone looks at us wrong. GOD Hears all and answers in His good time and way. Don't be afraid of the apparent lack of 'feeling' His presence or think of the skies as brass 'cause when He's quiet He's up to something.

When you can't see His hand, Trust His heart!!!

Answer 6

That feeling is not uncommon. Mother Teresa had her moments of doubt. Though I'm an atheist, I thought that the Holy Spirit lived within people in the form of a soul and that the Holy Spirit was one and the same with God and Jesus.
So, take it from an atheist, by talking with yourself, maybe you are talking with the inner chunk of God.
Just make sure that you are holding a cell phone if you do it in public so folks don't think you are schizophrenic or something.
Good luck.

Answer 7

Always pray to God in Jesus' name.Example: Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.....
And of course He listens, and hears you.Believe me you don't have a whole lot of competition nowadays when it comes to people praying to God.I personally always asked to be forgiven for all my sins when I first pray to God, so that I come to Him cleansed of sin.I'm not saying I'm a habitual sinner, but I want to be spiritually cleansed in His sight before praying to Him.God will never leave you or forsake you.That is if you never leave or forsake Him.He loves you. He may not love what your doing, but He does love you.Ask that He come into your life and lead ,guide, and direct you throughout your daily life.Put your trust in Him,and He will not disappoint you.How do I know?.I do all of the above,and He has truly blessed me for the last ten years and continues to do so daily.Do your very best to live righteously(doing what is right in His sight),and when you slip (and we all do) ask for forgiveness in Jesus' name.God loves you, and so do I for at least trying.Stick with it, God's blessings will flow over you.Why?Because your doing your very best to be righteous in His sight,and your placing your faith in Him.Sometimes when we are at the weakest points in our lives,and we turn it over to God,we become the strongest.Why?. Because when God is with you,who can be against you?.
Hope this helps you, God Bless.

Answer 8

Give yourself timeto get to know God, there is no wrong way to pray as long as it is from your heart. If you want to know the difference, the movie Bruce Almighty actually has a good example of prayer. He says a prayer to God, then says a real prayer from his heart.

Answer 9

you are not the loan ranger, God hides himself from us so that we will continue to seek him. Ask him for the grace of perserverence in your prayers and maybe pray more frequently during the day when you are at work saying Lord stand by me, Lord I love you, keep me company, did you ever read the book, entitled "Practicing the pressence of the Lord" you can probably order it off the internet. Your prayers are never wrong. I dont really feel the pressence of the Lord either, but I perservere. Feelings do not count, it is the faith with which we serve God thru our prayers, our sacrafices, our daily work, even routine chores like dishes or laundry, when you are doing it say Lord I do this for love of you, or when you eat, say Lord, I offfer this to you in union with your eating times when on earth for your glory Lord, remember, the bible says offer everything to the Lord. He can bring the best out of our small efforts. Some day the Lord will surprise you if you keep on keepin on, and you will feel something, but when you feel nothing, you are giving it all to God, and when God does give you feelings that is his gift to you, be generous with God and let your non feelings be your gift to Him, He loves you, and longs for our love in return, let us show him our love by giving to him, who we know is never out done in generosity. God bless you!!! Maybe you can order a prayer book that will help you with more prayers. Plus be sure to say moring prayers, afternoon prayers, and then evening prayers. Check out a website that has the prayers of the Pieta book, that is awesome, it is absolutely packed with beautiful prayers to pray.

Answer 10

Probably. Scripture is the offer of a marriage contract. If you take YHVH's name, and follow His rules, He has promised eternal life (salvation). Sounds like a good deal to me, did you accept His offer? If you haven't, you were just talking to yourself! Believers followed Torah for 300 years after the Messiah, until obedience was outlawed by the "Catholic Church"!!! If you accept YHVH, then you will follow His guidance, and come out of "Babylon" (which is a code word in N.T. Scripture for Rome. Rome was in charge, so people had to be a little tricky to avoid the censors)