If someone prays sincerely, and from the heart, and God still answers with a "no", then why bother in the first place?
I'm not talking about "Please, God, let me win the lottery" type of prayers, I'm talking about "Please, God, cure my infant daughter of her disease so that she may live to serve you" type of prayers.
2007-12-30 07:20:43 · 21 answers · asked by Deke 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Prayer does nothing... many people consider coincidences or inevitable events to be answered prayers. It's a lot like slot machines... the occasional win creates and addiction. There is nothing more addictive to human beings than perceived intermittant rewards.
2007-12-30 07:25:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 5⤋
The point of prayer is not to change the will of an unchanging God. That is impossible. The reason we pray is to grow in relationship with God, becoming evermore dependent upon him. This, in turn, brings about a peace of mind and an understanding of why things happen like they do. This isn't to say that God doesn't answer prayers, because he certainly does, but only in accordance with his will and purpose. Just remember that God's ways are far above ours, and the only way we will be able to understand the mind of God is through the reading of scripture and unceasing prayer.
As for the response from "C" :
That is incorrect. If God didn't hear the prayers and cries from the lost, no man would ever be saved!! The verses you referred to in Isaiah are concerning a people that had no desire or interest in God at all, but merely wanted his blessings. Try reading through the Psalms, especially Psalm 107.
2007-12-30 09:13:39 · answer #2 · answered by bo diddly 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The prayers which always receive a "Yes" are prayer IN the Will of God. The Will of God brings people to heaven when God desires them. So we have to pray like Jesus+ did: Lord, if it is your Will let this cup pass from her, but if not then, Lord, give us the strength to bear it.
I lost a child. But I saw in his death, the Will that the Lord had for him, that I should have a child raised up to the throne of God to intercede for our family.
Read a little bit about what the Catholic Church teaches about prayer at the URL of the Catechism below. I will pray for grace for your family. And you might consider praying for the intercession of Pope John Paul II, who may become a saint based on a miracle. Not only would a request by him have more merit than you or myself, but it may serve God to do so.
But God still may want a pure intercessor from among your children,I can't answer that.
2007-12-30 07:37:36 · answer #3 · answered by QueryJ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With non-theist spirituality the point of prayer is more to draw oneself into communion with a higher spectrum of reality. But in christianity ( and probably most monotheist religions) the idea is that if god always gives you what you want he is simply a genie in a lamp; plus,we don't know the big picture. If he hadn't died your child might have gone on to become a serial killer,etc. Concept here is: we can not understsand the workings of the lord,and so on. It's actually sounder than the genie-in-a-bottle concept, I must admit.
2007-12-30 07:35:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You're missing the point. Prayer is about relationship. The means, not the end.
As for your example, we all will die someday. The question is whether it's God's will for your infant daughter to be healed or not. He gave her life in the first place and will also raise her up again in the resurrection.
God is not a genie who is under compulsion to answer our every whim. He's the King of the universe!
Remember what he told his disciples, many of his miracles were done so that the name of God would be glorified.
2007-12-30 07:26:19 · answer #5 · answered by God Still Speaks Through His Word! 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
God want us to depend on him for all the answers... he know what is best for us.....God will bring people in this world to touch other people lives... like your sweet little baby girl... to put people on there knees.. only God has the answer to your prayers... he will answer you with the right answer....at the right time.... Ask God for his will to be done... God is a jealous God.. he doesn't want no one to come before him....as you turn your daughter over to God ..you will show him that you trust him completely to heal your daughter.. just have faith that he will heal your baby and he will...just believe and receiving this miracle ..... Please don't ever give up on God.... he is the only hope we all have....
2007-12-30 07:36:27 · answer #6 · answered by Sharon C 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Prayer is a way that God gives us blessings that he is willing to give that are conditional upon us asking for them; however, not everything we want falls in line with God's plan no matter how righteous we may think our desires to be. This is why sometimes we do not get the answer that we want.
2007-12-30 07:29:27 · answer #7 · answered by moonman 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God sometimes says no because it's not in his will for that to happen. If that happened, something else might go wrong. In the case of an illness, God might just want his child home with him, and he might be able to show glory through that, like family members could be saved or things.
God says no because it is for the best, and he knows what is to come.
2007-12-30 07:25:01 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Because prayer is one way we are able to become closer to God and form a relationship with him. If you never talk to someone, you can't be in a relationship with them. Same concept with God.
And God says "no" sometimes because otherwise we'd all be spoiled... even though we're pretty spoiled and self centered anyway. I mean, you tell your children "no" sometimes don't you?
Plus, God is gonna do what he wants to do. I used to think "OK God, I'm gonna plan my life out, and then you bless it for me, k?" Well, that's not how it works. God does what's in his plans, not ours. Like that line from Van Zant's song "Help Somebody"- If you want to hear God laugh tell him your plans.
2007-12-30 07:27:25 · answer #9 · answered by Britt 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God doesn't answer prayers with yes and no answers. To pray "for" or "against" anything is pointless. Seek enlightenment and all your questions, the truth of the universe will be revealed.
2007-12-30 07:33:16 · answer #10 · answered by Daniel 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I agree - theres not much point to praying at all, so why do you persist in doing it?
do you realise that in praying, you are actually TELLING GOD what you want him to do?
What right do you have to demand that the omnipotent god of this entire UNIVERSE grant your request? You are only one minute unimportant little person on a minute unimportant little planet.
If he even exists at all.
Such ARROGANCE.
2007-12-30 07:59:59 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋