On Prayer

First off, this thread is addressed to those who already believe in a supreme being and/or prayer...there are zillions of threads debating whether or not God exists and whether or not prayer is real...hopefully this will not devolve into yet another such thread. So if your intent is to declare that God and/or prayer is meaningless, I respectfully request that you to go elsewhere to do so.

Anyway...

For those of you who do pray, do you ever feel that you can "pray too much"? That is, do you think it is possible to "bother" God with excess communication? I generally think not, but sometimes I wonder.

Related questions: When you pray, to what extent do you ask for things, versus thanking/praising God? I generally don't feel guilty when thanking God, but sometimes I feel it is selfish to request certain things, or even to request anything at all. After all, in this world millions of people more moral and righteous than myself find themselves in worse straights. Why would God help me if he doesn't help them? Or, if you do ask for things, do you think there is a difference between asking for things "in this world" (such as wealth, health, success, etc.) and asking for spiritual guidance and instruction? Is the former bad to do while the latter is more acceptable? If you do think its acceptable to pray for worldly things, where (if anywhere) do you draw the line? For example, I'd consider it frivolous to ask God to give me a shiny new car, but if I had cancer, I don't think it would be quite as frivolous to ask for improved health. Agree or disagree? What about praying for other people? Is this more acceptable than praying for yourself, because its less selfish?

I have asked myself these sorts of questions many times, over the years. I go back and forth on the answers I come up with. Any of your thoughts or ruminations along these lines would be of interest.




[edit on 4/20/09 by silent thunder]

You can never pray too much!!

God wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. If you feel that your prayers are 'bothering' God, then perhaps your prayers are bothersome to you for a reason.

In your thread, you say that you have revisited this dilemna (petitioning God on your behalf or on behalf of others) over the years. Do you have a similar dilemna over giving thanks and praise?

Never mind all that. Just talk to God! Tell Him how you feel, what you think. When your life is good, Thank Him!, When not so good, blame Him, if you like. He's big enough, He can take it!

But whatever you do, however you like, just never leave God out of the equation and prayers will be answered. Just not always when you want or how you expected.

If a Pagan view is allowed hee I will gladly give mine.

I pray every single night. On the whole I would say 80% is simply to tell her I am still here, still loyal, and she is still loved.

When I do ask I ask for things that are major matters; health, career, finances. When I do it is always to have her show me the right path, not to just give me stuff. I would say almost every time I ask for something it is to show me the path I should be on because how do I know if my wife losing her job isn't a good thing? Maybe she loses it and gets a much better one. Who knows

I do not pester her with things like, let me win this bike race or let me have a good day because my view is that you should earn and do some things on your own.

Now here comes the potentially bad-sounding part so let me preface this.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT CHRISTIANS (So I don't even want to hear it)

To ALL who pray...I think you have got to learn to get things on your own sometimes. I am so sick of hearing people on TV in reality shows asking God to help them win. That's an extreme of course but holy crap, doesn't God and the goddesses have better things to do then deal with every minutia of our lives? I swear sometimes people get so dependent and think that their deity will solve everything. I see them as ones to step in when something big is happening.

Look, if your family member dies, ask them for strength and hope.

If you are about to lose your job, ask them for guidance and a path.

If you are shaky on your faith, ask them for help getting back on track.

If you need some money to but a video game or to bring you a 6' tall man or a cute blonde...go find it

That's how I feel anyway

This was all intended for respect and adoration for you all.

-Daniel

I think our Father wants us to talk to him anytime we feel like it. I talk to him all day long. I am always aware of his spiritual presence with me at all times. Prayer is a very personal matter and different then giving God praise. When we praise God we are giving back to him. We are thanking him for the beautiful day and so many other blessings. We listen and become one with his spirit and have a beautiful communion together. Prayer, we are now asking God for something. The bible tells us that the Lord wants us to have everything we desire. Does this mean I pray for money.....NO! Remember, ALL prayers should always end ""Not my will, but your will be done" I believe that God answers all prayers, but not always the way I would like but his way seems to work out better.


Peace,
Grandma

I love that Grandma...wishing your God's will be done...beautiful thought

-Kyo

I believe in a higher power and I pray frequently.

I pray for the end of war, starvation, spousal abuse, child abuse and mans inhumanity to man. God could stop all these things if he really wanted to. I guess perhaps he doesn't want to for some reason.

I feel abandoned, ignored and forsaken by God and if I don't see some improvement soon; I'm not gonna pray anymore except for my own selfish needs and wants. To hell with everybody else.

Here is some irony I see....Many pray to God for human spiritual, physical improvement in our lives. Mothers pray for food for their starving children and we are told that God answers prayers. What kind of God would not answer the prayers from a mother with a starving child? Perhaps God only answers prayers of some special few that must have a hotline of some kind.

[edit on 22-4-2009 by whaaa]

I think prayer is tapping into the standing wave of the "ALLthatIS"..... within my culture, He is called God. I believe that prayer unit[e]s us all, and it's not as though through sheer numbers we "will" something to happen. ...... it's more of a dance, a request, and invitation.

I have a difficulty praying for myself or my own needs. I think its appropriate and more.... umm..... meaningful and effective, prayers for others.

To address your question, I don't think one can pray too much; it's akin to meditation, and I'm not certain that there's a great deal of difference. It's joining your energies with others. I'm reminded of the movie Bruce Almighty where he is assailed by the myriad of mumbling voices..... I think the words matter less than the intent. I think the desire to help and share your energies with others.... well...... that's the whole thing.

great thread. Introspective. good stuff.

[edit on 22-4-2009 by argentus]

You sound very angry. Do you ever PRAISE God? Do you thank him for the beautiful sunshine today and the soft wind blowing around your face and hair. The beauty of nature, and his everlasting love in your life?

Remember, praise is important too. It is the time you give back to the Father thanking him for the blessings he has given you. Even if it is just waking up to a new day - that is still a blessing.

Remember, when we pray Jesus tells us in the book of Matt. 6:9-12 to pray like this:"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your WILL be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Amen

I know things seem unfair in this world, but it is Satan's world at the moment. One thing I do believe with all my heart is that God has a plan for you, me, the world. Everything will work to the good according to that plan. We do not see the big picture, we see just a small part. The Lord sees everything and how everything is going to work to get there. I trust my Creator to watch over me and yes, even in the times of suffering and pain he is still there. He loves you. Don't give up on him yet!

Peace and Love,
Grandma

reply to post by Grandma


Were you referring to me or someone else?

-Kyo

I think its important to accept life as it is...

Is praying asking for God to intervene on something that was not a part of the plan or order?

I am very careful when I pray...and I would call it more of a meditation....of accepting life as it is and strength to deal with it.

I do think though, when enough peoples energies unites for the benefit of a person in need....the power that may change the course of order COULD be the power from the PEOPLE...not God.

We are told we would do greater things....we are told 'ya are as gods'....we are told we can move a mountain. One needs to ask, truly, where is the power of such energies coming form...where is the harnessing of such power's hiding? Are they a part of us....are our own bodies tools for harnessing energies and then releasing it in united fashion when there is agreement amongst many beings?

We have to ask ourselves....why are some prayers not answered. If pray had power, wouldnt the children in Africa have plenty of food? OR....is life just life.,...and some people get lucky with a coincidence of pray and good fortune. Then people say, well God must have his reasons for not answering that prayer....I say...come on....then what good is prayer?

I do believe in harnessing energies and I think we humans have not reached our due potential of making the world a better place with these energies. I have seen phenomenal things happen and I account them to the enrgies that we humans possess....not some entity saying...yes or no to a pray.

But always, always, give thanks. I think this keeps one humble and in the right mind set to harness energies of the divine essence.

No facts...just thoughts
LV

Originally posted by LeoVirgo

We are told we would do greater things....we are told 'ya are as gods'....we are told we can move a mountain.

Who told us this?

Originally posted by LeoVirgo


If pray had power, wouldnt the children in Africa have plenty of food?

They do. It is stolen from them by governments, militias and other criminals.

reply to post by teapot


Who told us this??

The Bible....

And the example of Africa is one example....see my point is that we rely on prayers to God to fix things....when the capability is within us as a whole unit to fix things. I dont feel God intervenes because there are no consistent examples of Thee doing so.

We have to remember there are coincidences. We are hopeful beings that are easily gullible. We want to think God intervenes and most of that belief comes from that darn OT where god is said to intervene in many cases, mostly in wrathful hateful ways.

To think things happen through Gods merciful intervention....is misleading to Gods nature or order and our purpose to learn to accept life. If God changes a course of ones life through prayer...did the original order that God set for that person have an error in it?

ALl the time we want to give good credit to God and give bad credit to Satan....when most of the orders are just life and we find the order hard to accept.

Adaptation and coping are major things we are to learn here.

Originally posted by teapot

Originally posted by LeoVirgo

We are told we would do greater things....we are told 'ya are as gods'....we are told we can move a mountain.

Who told us this?

www.biblegateway.com...

1God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

2How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

3Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

4Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

5They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

6I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

7But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

8Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

Part of it, more now

John 14: 12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Matthew 17

19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.