Prayer

[tonya]

What do ya'll think of prayer? Does God always answer yes...no...or wait??

 

[QustantinahQuaker]

He answers. You just have to listen for Him.

 

[Mustaphile]

What do ya'll think of prayer? Does God always answer yes...no...or wait??

I wonder whether sometimes he says, "Work it out for yourself", or variations on that.

When I pray I tend not to ask for things. At least not tangible things. I'd pray for wisdom. I'd pray for comfort in my suffering. I pray for forgivness, a lot! I wouldn't pray for a new car, or money to pay my bills. The times when I feel God is talking to me is usually a seperate thing. I will have been banging my head up against a wall for ages and then it will dawn on me what God has been trying to tell me through my circumstance. Everything will come in a moment of clarity and I can move on to banging my head against the next wall.

 

[Arikereba]

I won't put limits on God doing some incredible stuff, but for the most part I'm inclined to think that prayer isn't to change the world, but to change ourselves.

This often leaves me praying, "Please make me not want to ask you to wreak righteous vengeance upon [X who has wronged me]"...

 

[Dee235]

What do ya'll think of prayer? Does God always answer yes...no...or wait??

God always answers. The problem is that we may not always want to hear the answer. I think His answers are as you said: Yes, no, wait (not now).
I don't know if anyone else has experienced this (probably though), when you look back and the thing that you wanted so much then, but God said no, and now you know that it wouldn't have been right, then, now or ever.

 

[seebs]

I have gotten a few prayers answered, sometimes in ways that really, really, surprised me. But always with impeccable judgment.

 

[Im_A]

i have had various of ideas about prayer. i guess in the end, i come to the point that prayer is communication between us and God, nothing more, nothing less.

i think it began to change for me, when i moved out west for a short stint, and everything utterly failed. i look back and think how i prayed before that time. very selfish prayer. praying for my own needs, wants and desires. and i am not criticizing this by any means. we are to go to God with these things, but is that all? i think not. and when i was out west, and i knew everything was about to change, but i didn't know how, i remember sitting on a sidewalk step, smoking a cigarette, crying a little, and just asked God to dictate over the situation. i didn't know what else to ask God for. i could have asked for Him to mend the messed up relationship i was in out there. i could have asked Him to keep me out there because I liked it out there in a big city and with all kinds of people from various of cultures and religious views out there. i'm sure i could have lined up every reason to ask God to do something for what i wanted. but, the only i could ask of God was to just please dictate over the situation, and kept selfish hope for going in any of possible areas, and just trust God with whatever is going to happen. nevertheless, i was back on a 3-day bus trip back to Ohio, and back in the world of my family and friends and get spiritual, personal and emotionally stuff fixed to where i can move forward in life.

i mean it wasn't like i felt all these emotional feelings in me that God answered my prayers. trust me, the way back to Ohio was utter hell. even for a short time after it, it was a dark time. but i guess that's where faith comes in. so with prayer, i just view it now as Divine conversation with God. a place where we can ask God for things, a place where we can seek God's help, a place where we can vent to God and beg for mercy and help, a place to ask God's forgiveness and a place of utmost praise to God for just being who He is and to praise Him for all the things He does for us and other people.

 

[McCravey]

I believe in prayer...even in the smallest things. I like to pray as I move throughout the day....asking God lots of questions and looking for His answers.

I like to even go over with him my "To Do" list. It is amazing how he sends people my way that help me get even the most routine things done....."Like wow, I'm so glad I bumped into you...I needed to ask you about such and such...."

 

[traingosorry]

I believe in prayer...even in the smallest things. I like to pray as I move throughout the day....asking God lots of questions and looking for His answers.

I like to even go over with him my "To Do" list. It is amazing how he sends people my way that help me get even the most routine things done....."Like wow, I'm so glad I bumped into you...I needed to ask you about such and such...."

He works this way with me too.

 

[Cordelia]

Exactly what seebs said!

It's the reason I've never stopped praying since I was saved, no matter how full of doubts I might be.

 

[Songspinner]

I've definatly had prayers answered too...even some answered that I didn't even pray for yet...you know when you get those annoying hints from God along the lines of..."maybe you should talk to this person that you've been mad at for the last year"

Of course it always ends up for the best...but never really what you want to hear when your involved in a good long sulk

 

[Rev. Smith]

I gave up intercessionary prayer in favor of contemplative prayer a while ago. It always struck me as a little, well, cheeky, to be asking the creator of the universe, author of life and The Christ for the redemption of all mankind, for personal favors. So these days I offers prayers of worship, prayers to open my heart to the Holy Spirit and prayers for the peace and security of all of His creation.

It is not that I don't believe that He does not hear us, Love us and desire what is best for us, it is only that I'm pretty sure that He already knows what we need.

Now, if I was being shot at I'm pretty sure that I would throw out a few "Lord help me" prayers (I know I did back in the day), but at its simplest I trust that God has creation well in hand, and that it is best to offer thanks and praise, and to open myself to Wisdom, for we are promised that she will fill us with the knowledge to please God.

 

[Crazy Liz]

I have gotten a few prayers answered, sometimes in ways that really, really, surprised me. But always with impeccable judgment.

I had one answered just last week. It was very specific, very personal, and not something I really thought would be important enough to God to actually answer. More of a wish, really. In fact, when it happened, it took me a day or two to realize, Hey! that was something I prayed for last month, and it actually happened.

I still don't know why some prayers are answered and some aren't. I suspect if we knew, it would not make us better people, but worse.

 

[Crazy Liz]

I gave up intercessionary prayer in favor of contemplative prayer a while ago.

Kyrie eleison!

(Lord have mercy!)

Is that an intercessory prayer or a contemplative prayer?

 

[tonya]

Thanks for all the replies...I love to read what God has done for others in prayer!!!!

 

[Rev. Smith]

Kyrie eleison!

(Lord have mercy!)

Is that an intercessory prayer or a contemplative prayer?

(if you add an "imas", its pure intercessory though )