Prayer

[dms1972]

I've a question about praying, I don't know if makes sense, or is a stupid question but when I pray should I focus on the words of the prayer and their meaning, or try to focus directly on God?

 

[SkyWriting]

I've a question about praying, I don't know if makes sense, or is a stupid question but when I pray should I focus on the words of the prayer and their meaning, or try to focus directly on God?

When you pray, you're having a dialogue with a person, God. That's a bit vague, so we pray "In Jesus Name" which means we are taking into account the person we know, Jesus, when we pray.

For example " Jesus, bring me a cheeseburger with fries, right now!" See how that doesn't work well?

SO when we pray, we keep "In Jesus Name" in mind as we "talk" to Him.

He is the creator of the entire Cosmos, and he suffered for the sins of all humanity.
So when you pray, anything you ask in Jesus name will be given to you.

So, when you make requests for God to work His will for you consider that:
He loves you and has infinite knowledge before you even ask.
If you really need that cheeseburger, then it's on it's way, before you pray.
And in prayer and in faith, He will comfort you that it's been ordered already.

Odds are good that instead, He will assure you that He's got you covered,
and has the cheeseburger or something else even more appropriate
planned for your future. But He will answer. Even if your next 30 minutes
are a heart attack and an ambulance ride, and perhaps death....
He's got you covered, and will offer you comfort in that

He's got you covered, no matter what.
​

That's the correct conversation, for all things you have in mind.

Who Wants to actually witness Gods Answers to Prayers?

 

[~Anastasia~]

I've a question about praying, I don't know if makes sense, or is a stupid question but when I pray should I focus on the words of the prayer and their meaning, or try to focus directly on God?

There are different kinds of prayer.

When most people think of "prayer" they are thinking of a dialogue between themselves and God. So in that case, it is important to focus on the words.

There are formal prayers handed down within Christianity that can be very valuable - praying these prayers helps shape us and our relationship with God, and teach us things about how to pray.

There's also the real relationship we have with God, and need to say some things personal to us, so there are the prayers with words that come out of our own minds.

Both of these types of prayers where we focus on words are valuable, and it's best not to neglect either one.

And there are also prayers of simply being quiet before God, meditating on God Himself, without words. These are very ... effective prayers ... but also potentially dangerous for someone new to praying, especially if you don't have any advisor. Dangerous because they ARE effective, and for that reason the enemy especially seeks to interfere, and at the same time is more able to deceive us in that situation.

There are other kinds of prayer too. Meditation on short passages of Scripture, for example. Sometimes passages to help us focus on that part - the Psalms are ideal.

And what were called "arrow prayers" because they are short and can be sent often, even continually. Some short prayer we want to internalize and make it the constant cry of our heart, like "Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me" or "Lord make haste to help me".

It's not a silly question. But the answer can be very complex.

 

[dms1972]

Is there anything wrong with using others prayers, such as a prayer book or anthology of prayers from the past? This seems to be frowned upon in some christian groups.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Is there anything wrong with using others prayers, such as a prayer book or anthology of prayers from the past? This seems to be frowned upon in some christian groups.

I would say there's nothing wrong with it at all. The Psalms have long been used as prayers, and there are many other good ones.

I think some people may be concerned that reading others' prayers may be insincere, or a person might never express their own thoughts to God?

We can pray in our own words and be insincere or not really attentive. To be insincere or inattentive is not really good, no matter where the words come from.

And anyone who uses a prayer book should also be praying their own prayers. How else can we ask for forgiveness of particular sins, for example, or pray for the needs of anyone else, if we never use our own words?

Both serve their particular purposes, and both are good.

The prayers passed down by others serve to teach us things about God, and shape us and our prayer life, if we truly pray them. It is a loss to discard them.

I understand why some people are concerned. But Jesus Himself gave His disciples a prayer when they asked Him to teach them to pray. And prayers have been used by Christians when they gathered together since the time of the Apostles. If they are translated correctly, you will see mentions in the Bible of "the prayers" referring to worship services. It has always been that way. God even gave specific prayers to the Jewish people before the time of Christ that they continue to pray until today.

But we should mean the formal prayers, pray then with attention and a warm heart, or else they are little more than noise in our minds. (A little more since even then they are at least instructive.)

 

[dms1972]

Thanks for these replies.

Another question, how can I be sure I am praying to God, ie the real God, and not to my own thought projection, or a God of my own making?

While I would hesitate to call myself an atheist, I struggle a lot with believing in God. How if praying is just a blind leap of faith.?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Thanks for these replies.

Another question, how can I be sure I am praying to God, ie the real God, and not to my own thought projection, or a God of my own making?

While I would hesitate to call myself an atheist, I struggle a lot with believing in God. How if praying is just a blind leap of faith.?

Well that's a tougher question.

It is easy for us to make projections of Who God is and to have that in mind while we pray. To some degree, this is even unavoidable. But prayer is a relationship, and relationships grow through practice and through getting to know the other person.

In a way, prayer itself will teach you. We have a saying in the Orthodox Church that "the true theologian (one who knows God truly) is the one who prays". Meaning that we truly come to know God over time through prayer.

Not to say that isn't informed by what we know of God as being introduced to us by the Apostles, by the Church they passed down to us, through the Scriptures they handed down, and most especially through the teachings of Jesus Christ Himself, Who is God in the flesh. The most important lens for knowing God are the Gospels for this reason.

But God DESIRES that we come to know Him. And even a child is accepted by Him - in some ways more easily than a learned adult. So He is not looking to exclude us or keep us from Him.

So the best way is to be sure you are becoming acquainted with the Gospels especially, the Scriptures broadly. It is good to seek out ancient understanding of them because there are some distortions that make God out to be something different from the way the Apostles knew Him. Above all, He is a good and loving Creator, desiring to reconcile all things to Himself in Christ and restore the "all things very good" as He intended. If what you learn doesn't point you toward that, please look elsewhere.

And know that to a degree, God is a mystery, and unknowable. It is not that we must or even can fully comprehend Him with human understanding. Just try to know what He is not, so that you aren't praying to a human idea. And trust Him to help you. If you start off approaching Him in simplicity, like a little child, and desire to draw closer to Him, that is a very good start.

Just be careful along the way of ideas that turn your focus to yourself - particularly if you are tempted to think you're doing very well in praying or that you're becoming very spiritual or holy or advanced compared to other people. Those are common pitfalls and temptations from the enemy to lead us astray.

God be with you.

 

[~Anastasia~]

By the way, I hope that answers your second part about not being sure of your belief. It was meant to.

But it's ok to be tentative at first. God knows our understanding and our hearts. No need to try and work up a "belief" we don't actually have. Every child who grows up in the faith believing because their parents tell them still has to develop a relationship with God and a faith of their own at some point. We all start there.

Faith grows through experience. It's ok that we may start out with very little. God Himself will help that grow as we gain personal experience of Him, and much of this happens through prayer. Just don't neglect learning at the same time.