Prayer Results Experience

[ratchet30]

Hellos, I wonder if you lutherans have experienced answered prayer? Did you feel closer to God when you prayed regularly? Do you use prayer books as well?

 

[actionsub]

To be honest, the question as worded implies first that the OP is not Lutheran. It also suggests that the questions the OP asks are rhetorical and that we have not experienced answered prayer. It seems geared to provoke an argument rather than a discussion.

That said, the answer to the first two questions is yes. To the third, Lutheran prayer books exist, though I have not seen them used in the way (for instance) Anglicans use the Book of Common Prayer.

 

[tampasteve]

Hellos, I wonder if you lutherans have experienced answered prayer? Did you feel closer to God when you prayed regularly? Do you use prayer books as well?

Yes, I have had answered prayers. However, I do not believe God answers prayers in active intervention except in certain reasons that I do not know.

Yes, I frequently use a Luther Prayer Book as well as "Praying the Psalms", both written by Martin Luther. But as noted, they are not arranged or intended as a Book of Common Prayer or Daily Office.

 

[TKA_TN]

Yes, I've had prayers answered, even in ways I didn't expect.

I use the Lutheran Book of Prayer in the morning and evening, published by Concordia Publishing.

 

[Daniel9v9]

God is good and He certainly hears and answers our prayers! However, our relationship with God is not defined by our own feelings, but objectively by Jesus Christ. Of course, prayer and devotion make us more mindful of God and His Word, which sanctifies us, which is the good work of the Holy Spirit, but we have to be a little careful when talking about prayer, understanding that it's the fruit of faith, not the cause nor the sustainer of faith.

There are several prayer books in the Lutheran tradition. I own Lutheran Book of Prayer and Treasury of Daily Prayer, both of which are great! But we also pray from the heart. I saw this tweet yesterday by Pastor Will Weedon where he quotes Gerhard: "Whoever does not pray, in him faith fill will ultimately disappear." Prayer is at the heart of the Lutheran Church.

 

[actionsub]

I am going to have to look into some of the books mentioned in this thread!

 

[Tempura]

I believe I have had prayers answered. Whatever good has happened that I have prayed for, I haven't had visions or experiences to "confirm" that indeed my prayers (or someone else's concerning the matters in question) were answered, but I believe them to be answered prayers instead of accidents and I give my thanks to Him.

About feeling closer to God, I don't know. My feelings are against me and my heart is a mess. I don't always believe the suggestions of my feelings. But if I feel closer to God, I'm inclined to pray. If I feel far away from Him, I'm also inclined to pray. I merely pray to bring my heart, my sins and my worries to Him, like a wayward child who needs his Father. I kind of think that me praying, it's not my work, it's His. It comes from Him to me and back to Him again. I believe He sustains my prayers more than I do.

I haven't used prayer books myself.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Hellos, I wonder if you lutherans have experienced answered prayer? Did you feel closer to God when you prayed regularly? Do you use prayer books as well?

When I pray I trust that the Lord hears me, and is faithful in keeping His promises. I do not look to "answered prayers", i.e. getting outcomes in life that I might want, as a guidepost or sign of any kind. God's yes or God's no or God's not yet are up to Him. I may never know what "answer" I received to a prayer--but that's not even the point. The point of prayer isn't to get something back, but to place our trust in Christ.

How I feel at any given moment is irrelevant as far as it pertains to my life with God, feelings are fickle, subjective, monstrous little things which depend entirely on my mood and state of mind. As such they are never a metric by which I can relate to God, the only way I relate to God is through Christ, who has made me His through the waters of Baptism and called me, chosen me, and given Himself to me freely in His word. He is Faithful and True, I am nothing but a sinful beggar.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Tempura]

How I feel at any given moment is irrelevant as far as it pertains to my life with God, feelings are fickle, subjective, monstrous little things which depend entirely on my mood and state of mind. As such they are never a metric by which I can relate to God

Well said. It's hard for me to describe the life-long battle I've had with feelings. It's like a constant war, they're so much against me, abusing my fears. It's so easy to fall their victim, especially in religious matters, and when we do that we're looking at God through our own warped lens, through our own mess of a mind, as if we're reflecting our own crap back into our own eyes and calling it God. It's like we're blinding ourselves and thinking God did it. God, then, becomes a terrifying enemy and a tormentor, instead of a loving Father. I don't know if this makes any sense, just wanted to let out some steam.