Praying Amiss

Gentle Lamb said:

I realize there are some situations that I've prayed about that I've gotten completely wrong. I want to know, how can I avoid praying amiss? It shakes my confidence in God a little bit when I realize that I haven't understood something/a situation and I've gone about praying about things the wrong way.

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Why would you praying amiss shake your confidence in God ?

Not praying amiss simply means praying within the will of God.

Is it the nature of children to always understand their fathers ?

The better you understand God and His will ... the easier it will be to pray in His will. So ... study of God as He's revealed Himself in the scriptures ... and praying to better know God and His will would help.

Gentle Lamb said:

I wonder if that is a way of me being too hard on myself?

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Yes. you are being to hard on yourself.

Through the Spirit living in you, God knows your intentions, even when you have ' the wrong end of the stick ' God knows that you are seeking to be obedient to him.

The two conditions that hinder prayer that I know of are regarding sin in your heart (Ps 66:18) and for husbands that do not treat their wives well (1Pe 3:7).

Many come to expect prayers to be answered based on the words of Jesus to his disciples. This included "moving mountains". I suspect that the words of Jesus were for those who would inhabit the promised kingdom (Israel) and after the new covenant was established (with Israel Jer 31:31). It would seem dangerous to give people back then or today the power to move mountains.

It would seem that today we live in an age when our personal prayers (when we open our hearts) are heard by God and contribute to a closer walk with him.

The idea that we will get whatever we ask for may have more applicability to a future age (kingdom) and people (Israel).

To expect that God is going to give us whatever we want today may lead to disappointment or even anger with God.

Gentle Lamb said:

I realize there are some situations that I've prayed about that I've gotten completely wrong. I want to know, how can I avoid praying amiss? It shakes my confidence in my relationship with God a little bit when I realize that I haven't understood something/a situation and I've gone about praying about things the wrong way.

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We only know in part. More importantly, it is His will and not ours.He will test our faith in different ways. Stay the course. Blessings.
Blessings.