Why don't prayer work as intented?

[HolyGuardianAngels]

Anyone saying: Whatever you pray about you will get, is clearly not being honest, even if this is what the bible say. And still taking into consideration things like lacking faith and maybe just asking the wrong thing, or not having the patience to wait for the answer, one can still say without feeling dishonest: Prayer just don't work like it should, and people saying they get answers is really so few that they almost disapear in the masses of people that never get any answer. Still there is really a lot of christians suffering from things they theoretically could be free from, but never see any solution to.

So there is basically just two answers:
1: God does not exist, so therefore he cannot answer prayers
2: God exist, but he don't answer prayers even if he say he do, for reasons unknown.

Because FIRSTLY you should want GODs will.

When we pray we are actually Hoping for what we want!!

 

[simonthezealot]

1 Peter 4:12-19
​

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.​

 

[sunlover1]

dang Sun, you beat me to it.

Hey UBee, we posted the same thing at the same time.
Now THAT's scary.

What more could one ask for than the Spirit, if we seek and ask we will be given the Holy Spirit. He is our all in all.

Amen! He said He'd give us that if we asked.

So when I ask God for my child to get a better apetite, and start eating his food, then I use the wrong motives? And how about me asking for getting well from my mentall illness, so I can do something else then just sitting inside all day feeling terrible, is this the wrong motives? I talked to a blind girl once, she asked God to give her vision, is it wrong motives that she wants to see?

Heavens no, those are not wrong motives.
Does God desire your child to eat and enjoy health?
I believe so.
Are you asking amiss?
I dont think so at all.
You say you havent had an answer to your prayer,
but I bet you have and didnt even see it.
Sometimes it's RIGHT there in front of us and we
miss it completely... I have been there and done that.
Now that you've asked Him to help you... LET him.
He works, but it's often in quite a different way than
we expect, and sometimes it's by giving US help to
help our child.
Maybe my post is one of His answers, maybe He's saying,
you, parent, make some dietary changes in the house,
or you parent, help the child increase his activity
so he'll desire more calories (energy food)
There are SO many things that it could be, but the only
way for you to find out is to pray and then LISTEN..
pray until you're full ... study the Word til your'e full.
If you are so inclined, read Isaiah 58 about fasting..
read several different Bible versions,...
and then fast so you can see the answer that's
right in front of your nose (probably right in front
of your nose) certainly I could be wrong, but this
has been my experience.

YOu can be free from the mental illness as well.
Same thing, pray and then OBEY when He tells
ya what to do.
Usually He doesnt wave some magic wand, but
rather helps us to help ourselves.
And sometimes it takes time to get to that point.
God wants to help you, but He knows what sort
of help will be best for you in the 'long' run.
What will strengthen you the most... IMO

How old is your child? I'm a mom of 8 and might
have some helpful suggestions.

sunlover

 

[Carey]

Anyone saying: Whatever you pray about you will get, is clearly not being honest, even if this is what the bible say. And still taking into consideration things like lacking faith and maybe just asking the wrong thing, or not having the patience to wait for the answer, one can still say without feeling dishonest: Prayer just don't work like it should, and people saying they get answers is really so few that they almost disapear in the masses of people that never get any answer. Still there is really a lot of christians suffering from things they theoretically could be free from, but never see any solution to.

So there is basically just two answers:
1: God does not exist, so therefore he cannot answer prayers
2: God exist, but he don't answer prayers even if he say he do, for reasons unknown.

Prayers are only not answered when they are asked from a doubting or selfish heart.

 

[Bellicus]

Thanks, but I really don't like what your writing there sunlover1, unlike the others that have answered you seem to be positive about praying and getting a actual answer, but then you say things like "Usually He doesn't wave some magic wand, but rather helps us to help ourselves." Exactly where do you got this from? The bible does not say anything about people getting prayed for should "help them self". Why would God need someone to help with what he do?

And you say "Sometimes it's RIGHT there in front of us and we miss it completely" and "pray and then OBEY when He tells ya what to do.". All this could mean everything. It makes it look like:

"Hey! God is healing you"
"Uh, what?"
"Nevermind, too late! You missed it! "
"Oh no! I were too slow!"

And how can God tell me what to do when i cant see him or hear what he would say? So it is like you say that yes I can get answers for prayers, but then I have to understand lots of really strange, uncomprehendable stuff first.

It's like the blind girl i mentioned above. She met some christians that said that God would heal her. They did pray for her, but nothing happened. Must have felt great to be her. "Opps, no flowers and sunsets for you girl, well well, probably lack of faith or you simply are just to selfish to deserve it."

Thanks for offer for help with my kid, I am sure you would have a lot of good things to say, but I'm just as sure that I have already heard it from the dozens of doctors and specialists we been to.

Thanks to everyone showing interest in the subject. I probably seem grumphy, and I really am, but I can't help it cause i don't enjoy life at all. So be patience with me.

 

[IowaPastor]

I believe that God hears and answers all of our prayers. However, we may not like how God answers our prayers. When we pray we may get a "yes" or "no" or "not now".

Since we can't see what God sees, we do sometimes wonder why God doesn't see things the way we do and answer our prayers the way we want.

For example, many, many times when I was a little girl I was prayed for and anointed for healing. That healing didn't come supernaturally or in the way that anyone here wanted. I did get healing in a most unusual way--a way many would not consider healing.

With that said, I did get bitter for awhile, especially in my pre-teen and teen years. In fact, things didn't get better until I was in my twenties and thirties.

Don't give up! Many times, we need to keep at our prayers!

Take care

 

[Bellicus]

I believe that God hears and answers all of our prayers. However, we may not like how God answers our prayers. When we pray we may get a "yes" or "no" or "not now".

Does this got any biblical support or is it just another thing christians say about prayer? I can't remember Jesus ever saying to someone "Yes, I will heal you, but not right now". When I think of it I can't remember him saying no to anyone either. But he DID say that anyone could do the same as him and more, after he would die.

 

[JCFantasy23]

So when I ask God for my child to get a better apetite, and start eating his food, then I use the wrong motives? And how about me asking for getting well from my mentall illness, so I can do something else then just sitting inside all day feeling terrible, is this the wrong motives? I talked to a blind girl once, she asked God to give her vision, is it wrong motives that she wants to see?

No but you must understand that things happen for a reason. God does not always intervene simply to heal, but sometimes a person is to stay blind for a reason they may not realize at the time. I was mentally ill for a very, very long time and God did answer my prayers. It took forever and I was angry with him about that, but I believe he had his reasons. You may not always see the reasons at the time.

 

[Carey]

Does this got any biblical support or is it just another thing christians say about prayer? I can't remember Jesus ever saying to someone "Yes, I will heal you, but not right now". When I think of it I can't remember him saying no to anyone either. But he DID say that anyone could do the same as him and more, after he would die.

Do you remeber him saying IF you have the faith of a mustard seed??

So if you have that amount of faith in your only he can measure you would never pray for anything for selfish or evil reasons.

 

[sunlover1]

Thanks, but I really don't like what your writing there sunlover1, unlike the others that have answered you seem to be positive about praying and getting a actual answer, but then you say things like "Usually He doesn't wave some magic wand, but rather helps us to help ourselves." Exactly where do you got this from?

I'm getting it from experience and I probably should have explained
better. I've been busy, sorry.

The bible does not say anything about people getting prayed for should "help them self". Why would God need someone to help with what he do?

Here's an example:
Jesus said that we 'will' reap what we sow:
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God.
You will always harvest what you plant.
8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature
will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature.http://christianforums.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=47834982#_ftn1
But those who live to please the Spirit
will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. http://christianforums.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=47834982#_ftn1
http://christianforums.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=47834982#_ftnref1



Or if you prefer KJV:
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh
shall of the flesh reap corruption;
but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. http://christianforums.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=47834982#_ftn1
http://christianforums.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=47834982#_ftnref1


Let's say you're praying for God to heal your eczema
for instance, or some sort of rash type of thingy.
Sure He can indeed just 'bam' make it go bye bye.
But IF that rash is the result (reaping) of your poor
diet of carbs and junkfood (sowing) then the rash
is something that you've brought on yourself and
He MIGHT just speak to your heart every time you
reach for a latte or twinkie.
IOW, you've reaped what you yourself have sown.
God doesnt promise to rectify that does He? NO,
instead, he WARNED us.. He said Do NOT be deceived,
what a man sows, he WILL reap.
So now, you're stuck with the rash and must rely on
the mercy of God.. going to Him and asking for Him
to pour out His mercy, EVEN though you were stiff
necked when He nudged you to stop with the garbage
food.
Does that make sense?

And you say "Sometimes it's RIGHT there in front of us and we miss it completely" and "pray and then OBEY when He tells ya what to do.". All this could mean everything. It makes it look like:



"Hey! God is healing you"
"Uh, what?"
"Nevermind, too late! You missed it! "
"Oh no! I were too slow!"

No, that's not what I meant at all. Again, I am sorry
i was hurried when posting before.
Okay, when I say sometimes it's right there in front of
you and you miss it, I mean that sometimes the answer
to our trouble.. (The problem we've prayed about) is already
there.
Example:
Someone is desperately praying for God to help them because
they cannot hardly afford to live. There are several children,
not enough money to feed or clothe them well, and no
chance for a good job. This person lives in the country on
a 400 acre farm in a small town that is growing like crazy due
to an amusement park and fancy mall that just came along.
I suggest they sell a part of the land and could make a ton
of money, they say "no, we cant do that, this land has been
in the family for two generations".

A devout Christian heard an urgent news report on his radio that a flash flood was within minutes of entering the peaceful valley where he lived. Immediately he went to his knees and prayed for safety. The words were still on his lips when he became aware that water was gushing under his door. He retreated to the second floor and finally onto the roof of his house.
While he sat on the roof, a helicopter flew by and the pilot asked over the loudspeaker if they could lift him off. Its not necessary since I have the Lord�s protection, he replied.
Moments later the house began to break up and he found himself clinging to a tree. A police boat, braving the waters, approached him for rescue, but he assured them that the Lord would save him. Finally, the tree gave way and the man went to his death.
Standing before the Lord, he asked, Lord, Im glad to be here, but why didn�t You answer my prayer for safety?�
The Lord responded, Son, I told you over the radio to get out of there Then I sent you a helicopter and a motor boat!

And how can God tell me what to do when i cant see him or hear what he would say? So it is like you say that yes I can get answers for prayers, but then I have to understand lots of really strange, uncomprehendable stuff first.

No, not strange and incomprehensible stuff.
Will explain more later.

Thanks for offer for help with my kid, I am sure you would have a lot of good things to say, but I'm just as sure that I have already heard it from the dozens of doctors and specialists we been to.

Maybe, maybe not. Obviously this is a more serious problem if
youve been to dozens of doctors and specialists.

Thanks to everyone showing interest in the subject. I probably seem grumphy, and I really am, but I can't help it cause i don't enjoy life at all. So be patience with me

No, you didnt seem grumpy, and I'm sorry that you're going through
a lot at this time.
Many of us have been through the ringer, so you've come to the right
place for comfort.

sunlover

 

[Bellicus]

Do you remeber him saying IF you have the faith of a mustard seed??

So if you have that amount of faith in your only he can measure you would never pray for anything for selfish or evil reasons.

Then explain please: Where does this mystical mustard-seed come from? Is it something humans mentally produce by thinking the right kind of religious formula?

Here's an example:
Jesus said that we 'will' reap what we sow:
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God.
You will always harvest what you plant.
8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature
will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature.
But those who live to please the Spirit
will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

Let's say you're praying for God to heal your eczema
for instance, or some sort of rash type of thingy.
Sure He can indeed just 'bam' make it go bye bye.
But IF that rash is the result (reaping) of your poor
diet of carbs and junkfood (sowing) then the rash
is something that you've brought on yourself and
He MIGHT just speak to your heart every time you
reach for a latte or twinkie.
IOW, you've reaped what you yourself have sown.
God doesnt promise to rectify that does He? NO,
instead, he WARNED us.. He said Do NOT be deceived,
what a man sows, he WILL reap.
So now, you're stuck with the rash and must rely on
the mercy of God.. going to Him and asking for Him
to pour out His mercy, EVEN though you were stiff
necked when He nudged you to stop with the garbage
food.
Does that make sense?

Okay, when I say sometimes it's right there in front of
you and you miss it, I mean that sometimes the answer
to our trouble.. (The problem we've prayed about) is already
there.
Example:
Someone is desperately praying for God to help them because
they cannot hardly afford to live. There are several children,
not enough money to feed or clothe them well, and no
chance for a good job. This person lives in the country on
a 400 acre farm in a small town that is growing like crazy due
to an amusement park and fancy mall that just came along.
I suggest they sell a part of the land and could make a ton
of money, they say "no, we cant do that, this land has been
in the family for two generations".

A devout Christian heard an urgent news report on his radio that a flash flood was within minutes of entering the peaceful valley where he lived. Immediately he went to his knees and prayed for safety. The words were still on his lips when he became aware that water was gushing under his door. He retreated to the second floor and finally onto the roof of his house.
While he sat on the roof, a helicopter flew by and the pilot asked over the loudspeaker if they could lift him off. Its not necessary since I have the Lord�s protection, he replied.
Moments later the house began to break up and he found himself clinging to a tree. A police boat, braving the waters, approached him for rescue, but he assured them that the Lord would save him. Finally, the tree gave way and the man went to his death.
Standing before the Lord, he asked, Lord, Im glad to be here, but why didn�t You answer my prayer for safety?�
The Lord responded, Son, I told you over the radio to get out of there Then I sent you a helicopter and a motor boat!

I understand your examples, and of course I see what you mean. But even though I am a terrible sinner and should be harvesting my decay, I have said yes to whatever that could possible made me better. I've been to several psychologists and doctors, some of them specialists, and their conclusion was that what I'm suffering from is incurable, even with medicine. And thinking I have such low faith myself I have tried to ask other christians to pray for me, but this has not helped eighter. I tried talking to a pastor, and it didnt help, he just stopped contacting me. And all the same with my kid. He should really not be harvesting anything bad, he should be a happy little boy with no worries, that eats his food and grow to be a man.

 

[ticker]

Hey bro.

Bless you for being so open about your troubles. We are your brothers and sisters and can surely keep you in our prayers.

I keep writing and re-writing here what I'm gonna tell you, but all-in-all what needs to be said is God is in control. He knows your needs better than you do, and could rescue you from any situation He'd feel would be in your detriment....but you must trust that this (what's happening) is part of His very job that He's carrying out (although not directly being the inflicter of these troubles). Trust Him to do His job through the problems, knowing that He's blessing you at this very moment, and that's what's gonna make these hard times get easier and offer peace.

And if your thinking that maybe it's something you might be doing "wrong" or perhaps being foolish about in your life, then it's up to Him to bring you to the realization of it (...and He will, because He loves you too much not to).

HE is in control....(quite a liberating thought).

Peace

 

[itisdeliciouscake]

well whenever he talks about getting what you ask for in prayers it's usually salvation or wisdom......

 

[Carey]

Then explain please: Where does this mystical mustard-seed come from? Is it something humans mentally produce by thinking the right kind of religious formula?

( By the study of the Bible and diligent work to find the answers to your questions. And of course through much prayer.Pray unceasingly and seek and you shall find ask and in God time you shall recieve )



I understand your examples, and of course I see what you mean. But even though I am a terrible sinner and should be harvesting my decay,

I have said yes to whatever that could possible made me better.
I've been to several psychologists and doctors,( that is part of the problem in my opinion ) some of them specialists, and their conclusion was that what I'm suffering from is incurable, even with medicine.( mans medicine does more harm than good )

And thinking I have such low faith myself I have tried to ask other christians to pray for me, but this has not helped eighter.
(Keep searching for more Christians to become freinds witha nd pray with and for you someone has the faith necessary I garauntee it. SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND )

I tried talking to a pastor, and it didnt help, he just stopped contacting me. ( Try other Pastors and Churches SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND )

And all the same with my kid. He should really not be harvesting anything bad, he should be a happy little boy with no worries, that eats his food and grow to be a man.

Yes and by your example so will he be.

see the rest of the answers in red in the main body of your Post .

 

[Bellicus]

mans medicine does more harm than good

Ok, so I should stop using the only medicine that stopped making me feel like I wanted to kill myself then?

The rest of your advices seems fair enough, but it isn't quite biblical, cause it seems like you mean PEOPLE have to do lots of stuff before THEY can get the faith THEY need for God to heal them. And I can't see any logic in degrees of faith, either the faith is there or it is not. I do believe that God is capable already, and I can't see how I can improve this faith.

 

[Carey]

Ok, so I should stop using the only medicine that stopped making me feel like I wanted to kill myself then?

No because the tangled web is weaved once you start on mans medication and there are many side effects to taking it as well as stop taking it.

I give you some alternative options but you would have to IM me your regular e-mail. I will talk to you by phone but the evil court systems and attorneys can give me problems if I express anything in writing.) There are some graet books like
Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About

by Kevin Trudeau (Author)

and Eat Drink and be healthy br Dr. Ted Broer.

There are many more but I dont want to derail your thread.

1 corinthians 3 : 18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"[a]; 20and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise( DOCTORS PHSYCHOLOGISTS medicine ) are futile."[b] 21So then, no more boasting about men( DOCTORS PSCYCHOLOGiSTS medicine )! All things are yours,

The rest of your advices seems fair enough, but it isn't quite biblical, cause it seems like you mean PEOPLE have to do lots of stuff before THEY can get the faith THEY need

Proverbs 3 : 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. [a]
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

for God to heal them. And I can't see any logic in degrees of faith, either the faith is there or it is not.

Romans 12 : For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[b]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

I do believe that God is capable already, and I can't see how I can improve this faith.

see also in red in main body of your post.

2 Corinthians 13 : 5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. 10This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

Mark 9 : 20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"From childhood," he answered. 22"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." 24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"



Matthew 17 : 17"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." 18Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" 20He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."[a]

 

[sunlover1]

I keep writing and re-writing here what I'm gonna tell you, but all-in-all what needs to be said is God is in control.

amen.

He knows your needs better than you do, and could rescue you from any situation He'd feel would be in your detriment....but you must trust that this (what's happening) is His very job that He's carrying out.

So... why pray when we have a need?
And why have faith that He hears and answers?
You're confusing me.

HE is in control....(quite a liberating thought).

Amen, God is in control.
But we do have a selfish will that causes us to make choices
that are harmful to ourselves right?

 

[sunlover1]

I understand your examples, and of course I see what you mean.

By your answer below, I dont think I explained myself well, and I
dont think you do understand what I am saying.

But even though I am a terrible sinner and should be harvesting my decay, I have said yes to whatever that could possible made me better.

I dont understand what you mean here.

I've been to several psychologists and doctors, some of them specialists, and their conclusion was that what I'm suffering from is incurable, even with medicine.

I see, so you are wondering why God hasnt heard your prayers
and helped you with this, is that right? Or why it SEEMS like
He hasnt heard your prayers rather But the Bible says He does
and I believe Scripture, and it seems you do too.
I believe that it means what it says:
14 And this is the confidence that we have inb him,
that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask,
we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

And thinking I have such low faith myself I have tried to ask other christians to pray for me, but this has not helped eighter.

29 Then touched he their eyes, saying,
According to your faith be it unto you.
And their eyes were opened;

34 And he said unto her, Daughter,
thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace,
and be whole of thy plague.


19 And he said unto him,
Arise, go thy way:
thy faith hath made thee whole.



I know many dislike those passages, but it's Scripture.

I tried talking to a pastor, and it didnt help, he just stopped contacting me.

God wont leave you nor forget you.
Can never count on men, I've found.

And all the same with my kid. He should really not be harvesting anything bad, he should be a happy little boy with no worries, that eats his food and grow to be a man

I didnt mean to imply that you or he ARE reaping from bad sowing,
I was just giving some possible reasons that it can SEEM that
God wont hear us, when sometimes we've brought it on ourselves
and THEN we have to work to undo the damage,... or even live with it
depending on the damage... some consequences are irreversable.

But bad sowing is only one reason for suffering.

 

[E.C.]

Anyone saying: Whatever you pray about you will get, is clearly not being honest, even if this is what the bible say. And still taking into consideration things like lacking faith and maybe just asking the wrong thing, or not having the patience to wait for the answer, one can still say without feeling dishonest: Prayer just don't work like it should, and people saying they get answers is really so few that they almost disapear in the masses of people that never get any answer. Still there is really a lot of christians suffering from things they theoretically could be free from, but never see any solution to.

So there is basically just two answers:
1: God does not exist, so therefore he cannot answer prayers
2: God exist, but he don't answer prayers even if he say he do, for reasons unknown.

God answers prayers.

Just because it may not be immediately answered as we feeble mortals wish, or just because we don't notice it doesn't mean they are never answered.

A large beef I have with Western Christianity is the idea that when one prays for whatever one wishes, it will be instantaneously answered (almost like "magic"). That is not always the case for God delivers what He wishes when He wishes. And when it is best for us.

 

[sunlover1]

A large beef I have with Western Christianity is the idea that when one prays for whatever one wishes, it will be instantaneously answered (almost like "magic").

Western Christianity?
You mean some churches or some people.
There are MANY churches that teach that
while you can pray for help, God might
not want to help you, he might want y ou
to suffer.
In fact, most churches... read the posts
in this very thread.
It's not a 'western' thing, it's what some
'people' believe... it's that mentality that
if we ask God for something, He'll just
hear us and give us what we've asked of
Him... if it's according to His will.