Do you pray out loud or in your head?

[Phoebe]

1 Samuel 1:13-16
God hears silent prayer.

 

[Luchnia]

Not sure what that text in Sam has to do with silent prayer? No such thing taught in scripture. Mental assent or thought process is not prayer.

Word up!

 

[Galadriel]

Not sure what that text in Sam has to do with silent prayer? No such thing taught in scripture. Mental assent or thought process is not prayer.

Word up!

Sure it is. If you are thinking thoughts at God, such as "God, I really need help with this", then that is a prayer. It does not have to be spoken aloud to my knowlege. God will hear it anyways.

 

[Luchnia]

Can you support that with Scripture as it is not taught in Scripture and I would like to see the support that I may study it to see how that perception is arrived at?

In 2 Cor 10:4-5 we see that thoughts can even be cast down, so there is nothing to indicate that a prayer is thought process and God somehow reads thought processes of man.

Word up!

 

[Phoebe]

The question was do you pray out loud or in your head.

"Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard; therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman."

Hannah was praying to have a child. Her first born son was Samuel. She wasn't praying out loud. Eli didn't hear her voice.

What I am saying is that God hears silent prayer. Eli couldn't have prayed for her. He didn't know what she was saying to God.

 

[Galadriel]

Can you support that with Scripture as it is not taught in Scripture and I would like to see the support that I may study it to see how that perception is arrived at?

In 2 Cor 10:4-5 we see that thoughts can even be cast down, so there is nothing to indicate that a prayer is thought process and God somehow reads thought processes of man.

Word up!

I don't want this to turn into an argument thread over prayer. Phobe posted some good ones (where are those verses in the Bible?)

Also: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." (Romans 8:26-27)

 

[Phoebe]

Let's try 1 Samuel 1:9- 20. Verse 10 reads that Hannah was praying to the Lord. Verse 12 says that she was speaking in her heart, Eli, the priest, couldn't hear her. Her lips were moving, but no sound was coming out.

 

[semodana]

I pray silently most of the time but frequently when I am driving, I pray out loud as if I am talking to God. I find many answers during this pray time and it helps keep me on track as I start my day and let go of work on the way home .

Dana

 

[Luchnia]

Well, phoebe that verse does not indicate she was not speaking, or that she had no voice. A careful perusal of the text will prove otherwise to the possibility of thought prayers. There is no such thing as silent prayer in God's word. Prayer is not a thought process, nor could it be. Thought is a mental process that is done with the mind. The mind cannot speak. One can meditate, but that is not prayer, but is meditation. Notice that what the verses states, "She vowed a vow and SAID..." She said, not thought. There is no implication of thought whatsoever in the text.

If you pick up verse 12 and follow along carefully you see it states, "As she CONTINUED PRAYING....." She did not stop speaking out loud what was in her heart. Meaning that she continued with what she had started speaking out of her heart in the first place. Now hannah was speaking in her heart and her lips were moving, but Eli did not hear her voice, but it does not say her voice was not coming out of her mouth. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The head cannot speak what is in the heart, it does not have that capability. Eli thought her to be drunk? Why? Indeed because he could not hear what she was voicing, all he could see was her lips moving. It also says she wept bitterly. Was she not weeping as well?

She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD, and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy maidservant, and remember me, and not forget thy maidservant, but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head." 12 As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard; therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you." 15 But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman sorely troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. 16 Do not regard your maidservant as a base woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation." 17 Then Eli answered, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have made to him."

Also notice verse 15 and 16. In verse 15 you see where she says she has been pouring out her soul before the Lord and then she qualifies it by verse 16 by saying, "I have been SPEAKING OUT..." So who did not hear her voice? It was Eli as it is written.

Peace and Word up!

 

[eternally-his]

It usually depends where I am. Whenever I walk my dogs or go to the park and walk around the track I just talk to him in my head and if no one's there, out loud. But when I pray in my room, I pray out loud. But remember that God doesn't care how you pray *out loud or in your head or whatever* He just wants you to talk to you and He thirsts for you to talk to him.
-In Christ-
Mouse

 

[Phoebe]

Also notice verse 15 and 16. In verse 15 you see where she says she has been pouring out her soul before the Lord and then she qualifies it by verse 16 by saying, "I have been SPEAKING OUT..." So who did not hear her voice? It was Eli as it is written.

It reads "all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation."
Where is a persons great anxiety and vexation located?

Verse 13 still reads that she was speaking in her heart.
So the prayers of a mute can never be heard by God? How sad.

 

[Wypadek]

I pray in my head most often, but in my room, out loud

 

[peachyangel2003]

I usually try tp pray outloud if it is not disturbing someone. I do pray silently though too.

Robin

 

[KristiXP]

I find that I usually have trouble trying to say my thoughts aloud, like I don't have the right wording, so it is easier for me to just think it, and not have it get all garbled up in trying to find the right words. Sometimes the words get in the way of what I am trying to say, make sense?

I'm pretty much the same way Galadriel. If I'm alone in my bedroom or in my car, I will pray aloud. But, if I'm around people I usually pray silently. Either way, God can hear us!

 

[BattleAxe]

I love this topic...sometimes when I pray I feel the umption to say it out loud. Then there are times when I simply say it in my head. I was wondering was those times just as effective as saying it out loud.
I heard that the power is in the spoken Word so I try to pray aloud.

I want to add a question. Is it alright to journal a prayer? Meaning sometimes when I am doing bible study, a prayer will come to mind and I write it down. Then there are times (like on a message board) when you want to send a prayer or let someone see what you have prayed for them. Is it ok?

 

[Brooke]

I like to write letters! Doesn't seem as powerful, but it feels more comfortable if I can see my words on paper and read them over again.
When I pray I move my lips, but only whispers come out, so I can hear the words in my mind. I don't feel like saying them out loud. I'd rather it be a quiet act.

 

[Pseud]

In my head mostly always. My house is usually always busy. Night is my favourite time to pray when I reflect on the day, my sins, and have my personal time with God. I know that God hears and will answer my prayers in my head because I feel him.

 

[Heinrich]

mmm lots of pages.. not gonna read all.
My testimony:
I used to pray "in my mind"
I knowadays believe that if you can you should pray with your mouth.
(You don't need to shout, whisper is enough)
I don't think there is many solid reasons.. but it does help you
to keep your throughts in order. Communicate with GOD! (you don't
communicate with poeple with telepathy do you? so it will be much more REAL
for you if you actually speak to God)
I think this is very important in spiritual warfare...
(no gonna expand on that

 

[water_ripple]

Hey all,
I was wondering if you usually pray out loud or in your thoughts??
I always pray in my thoughts, wether that is good or bad, it just seems easier for me to convey things instead of having to formulate words. I know that might sound dumb, but thats how it is for me. What about you??

I don't think it's dumb at all. God knows the hearts of all. He is all powerful. I do not think it is beyond Him to hear prayers that one thinks in their head. Sometimes I myself give a silent prayer. Most of the time I say my prayers before I go to bed at night so I whisper them to God. Hubby gets up early in the morning and I like to stay up late. I try not to wake him up. Although sometimes I have.

 

[ten-k]

prayer can warm up
any cold heart