Praying for a test?

[Alizera]

Do you pray asking God to do well on a test?

In a weird way I kinda feel like God has no control over that and honestly he doesn't really care about that. My mom recently told me she put me on a prayer list so they could pray for me to do well in school (I'm not doing too great right now).

What does everybody think about that?

 

[rubiksolved]

when i was in hs.. i used to pray before tests.. that god would give me a clear mind and to help me remember things I've studied the night before... i think it helps psychologically in the sense that I have a feeling of assurance/comfort just knowing I asked.

in the end, it doesn't/didn't matter how I did

 

[aigiqinf]

I don't believe I've ever prayed for help on a test... maybe for help studying but I feel that my performance on a test is the result of my own effort and to ask for help when I didn't do my job isn't right.

 

[kittysbecute]

Do you pray asking God to do well on a test?

In a weird way I kinda feel like God has no control over that and honestly he doesn't really care about that. My mom recently told me she put me on a prayer list so they could pray for me to do well in school (I'm not doing too great right now).

What does everybody think about that?

Sometimes I ask God to help me do good on tests. Regardless of weather I studied or not. I have felt like it didn't matter sometimes because of the fact of not studying sometimes, but sometimes in spite of not studying and expecting to fail, I passed. (sometimes with 100%). Of course there were also times where I prayed for help on a test, and I failed. But I think it's good to pray about tests because God cares. If it's something that matters to you He wants you to talk to him about it. I don't remember if I usually pray before tests recently, but I have been thanking him for my good grades afterwards.

 

[Wol]

Do you pray asking God to do well on a test?

In a weird way I kinda feel like God has no control over that and honestly he doesn't really care about that. My mom recently told me she put me on a prayer list so they could pray for me to do well in school (I'm not doing too great right now).

What does everybody think about that?

My answer is "yes". I do pray that God will help me do well on my
tests. (As a matter of fact, I have one in the morning, and I have
and probably will again talk to my Father about it.)

I do not view prayer as an alternative to studying, though. I have
studied the material and I have done all of the homework. In my
experience, while God *can* do everything, He does not generally
do for me what I can just as well do for myself. I do not believe that
He would be pleased with my being slack in my studying and asking
Him to protect me from the consequences of my bad choice, but
since I have done the work, I see no problem in asking His help in
giving me clarity of thought, calmness, and bringing back to my mind
what He knows that I have studied....

As for God not caring about what happens to His children (including
tests!), I do not believe that for a minute! (Psa 103:13-14 KJV) Like
as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
{14} For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

He knows our limitations and flaws better than we know ourselves,
but He loves us anyway.

My advice would be to ask His help in doing the necessary studying
and then ask for His help on the tests...

 

[eugeneandbobo]

first of all, God cares. He cares about everything...its pretty cool.

i do pray before my tests...i pray in the middle of the tests...and sometimes i ask God for favor with my profs after the test, lol

i think its valid...

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Yes, I do. This is for him afterall, we should pray for our whole class taking the test honestly, since they're in the same boat as us!

 

[Truebeaver]

I heard a saying one time that I think applies to this situation.
"I used to pray to god every night for a new bike. As I got older I realized he does not work that way so I stole one and ask for forgiveness." Praying to god is not going to change the outcome of YOUR test... according to your own beliefs he or she gave you free will to chose your answer. In no way shape or form fallowing ur own beliefs could praying for a test give you better grades. YOU did the work for YOUR grade.

 

[AtheianLibertarist]

So then obviously you give credit to god if you do well, and acknowledge *if* you got help you were cheating. At my institution, you are thrown out of school for cheating. What if you don't do well on the test? You cannot just count the times you did well, but also count the times that something did not happen.

Also- just because you prayed doesnt mean that it is the reason you did well. What if you didnt study at all, and then prayed? Or vise versa.

Seems like praying for a help on tests is a very wrong thing to do.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Praying for wisdom isn't cheating, don't be fools.

 

[kittysbecute]

I heard a saying one time that I think applies to this situation.
"I used to pray to god every night for a new bike. As I got older I realized he does not work that way so I stole one and ask for forgiveness." Praying to god is not going to change the outcome of YOUR test... according to your own beliefs he or she gave you free will to chose your answer. In no way shape or form fallowing ur own beliefs could praying for a test give you better grades. YOU did the work for YOUR grade.

I think I've heard that one before.

I have passed tests because I prayed for them. So I know it works.
But also one thing that I have realized is that one shouldn't just simply pray about doing well on things, one should use the abilities God has given them to study and learn, and prepare for a test. Sometimes we pray for things and then just wait for them to happen, sometimes the answer to that prayer is action on our part. It absolutely does not mean that we shouldn't continue to pray though. Sometimes, in spite of studying hard and knowing every answer on the test, we fail due to text anxiety or our minds blanking. It's definitely good to pray before a test.

 

[Truebeaver]

you passed the test because you got the right answer not because you prayed. how many times have you prayed for a good grade and failed a test? knowing the answer to the question is what got you the grade. Here is an example. If I am taking a math test and I get the question 2+2=? and I put 5 which is wrong. my prayers have no influence on my answer.

Also, if it has worked for you and you really do think that god has helped you get the grade this it is your moral duty to explain to your teacher that you received outside help on your test.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

People aren't praying for God to possess them and answer the questions, they're just asking for a clear mind and heart so that they (and classmates too) can preform well. We do pay consequences for what we do or don't do, but I think you're just being ridiculous.

 

[Truebeaver]

People aren't praying for God to possess them and answer the questions, they're just asking for a clear mind and heart so that they (and classmates too) can preform well. We do pay consequences for what we do or don't do, but I think you're just being ridiculous.

calling me ridiculous is nothing more then your perspective because in my eyes I think you are being ridiculous for thinking there is a direct correlation to you doing well on a test and your relationship with god. Since you do think, that do you look to god when you do poor on a test?

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Of course I'm ridiculous to you, you don't believe in God and think I'm casting a spell or some other "ritual". When we worry, we are told to pray. When things affect us, we are told to pray. We are asked to pray for each other as well. Why wouldn't a theist who believes in a personal God not pray when it comes to something that may or may not determine their future? Even psychologically you could interpret ways praying could help ease one's mind on a test, with or without the actual divine intervention. (Which probably would be from "God within us", the Holy Spirit.) I normally think of all sorts of things that happened during the test, but I don't curse God if I do poorly because usually the fault lies with me. And if I do, it's glaringly obvious to me why I did poorly, and if I pray before a test like that, it's for mercy.

 

[Truebeaver]

Why wouldn't a theist who believes in a personal God not pray when it comes to something that may or may not determine their future?

Even psychologically you could interpret ways praying could help ease one's mind on a test, with or without the actual divine intervention. (Which probably would be from "God within us", the Holy Spirit.) I normally think of all sorts of things that happened during the test, but I don't curse God if I do poorly because usually the fault lies with me. And if I do, it's glaringly obvious to me why I did poorly, and if I pray before a test like that, it's for mercy.

That first part is a double negative which translates to "why would a theist who believes in a personal god pray when it comes to something that may or may not determine their future?" Using simple grammatical inference. That is a GREAT question.

How could you not look to god if you do poorly on the test? You looked to him for his help to give you the wisdom and guidance and that ended with a poor grade.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Yeah, but as I said before, we pay for our actions. We can't believe that we'll be rewarded for foolishness. God is bigger than our wants and needs, we can't not study for a test and expect something great because we prayed. (Miracles are exceptions, I imagine.) I imagine looking to God in a situation where you prepared and still did bad would lead one to ask "Why?" but that too has many factors. I can only think of one instance for myself, but that ended in the whole class getting an extra 20% on it because it ended up being an error.

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

I used to pray about school related things, but not so much anymore.

 

[Jackiesofunny]

I always prey to god, Right before a test! Only thing i could do, besides study

 

[Inbox24]

Isn't it that we should pray for God's will instead of praying for knowledge etc.

Also what do you think of the fact that people who study hard don't deserve to pass/do well? Just like people who do lots of good works don't deserve to go to heaven? We all deserve hell.