whats the difference?

[Guest fields316_2000]

Whats the difference between praying to God and just talking out loud to him? for example when you are driving and something happens like a car swerves, and you say 'dear lord help them'..or 'dear God..this or that'...whats the difference? also , God hears silent prayers correct? Ive never really read anything in the bible to prove or disprove that prayers have to be out loud..

[ayin jade]

I pray silently, formally, and I also talk out loud to Him, in the car, while walking, at the computer...whereever. I personally dont think it matters where we pray to God, or how we pray to Him. What matters is how our heart is to the Lord.

[Ovedya]

There is no difference.

[WayneB]

Exactly!

[Joe@actsii]

I pray both out loud and silently. When out loud sometimes it is formal and very respectful, other times I talk to Him like He is a friend sitting across the room from me.

When praying silently or in my head, the only problem I run into sometimes is that I can let my mind wonder and go down rabbit trails.

[Guest fields316_2000]

I do also, but my problem lately is the way man judges each other. i love jesus but sometimes christians get on my nerves. man decides to tell you how to dress or what to wear and when and if you pray like this and like that. i was in church listening to the pastor discuss giving your heart to the lord and some people were cutting each other off talking about how you should pray out loud instead of in your own head..it made me sick - and just wanted to know the difference

[other one]

I pray both out loud and silently.  When out loud sometimes it is formal and very respectful, other times I talk to Him like He is a friend sitting across the room from me. 

When praying silently or in my head, the only problem I run into sometimes is that I can let my mind wonder  and go down rabbit trails.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think God minds sharing your rabbit trails.

I work for Xerox as a service engineer, and much of the time I work on machines I am talking to Him either silently or sometimes outloud if no one else is around (sometimes even if they are.) On particular hard problems to solve I have even ask and received help on what some problems are.

[Joe@actsii]

Pray in your head makes me think of a funny story.

I can remember one time many years ago I had gotten up very early in the morning to pray, I was taking a shower (I like to pray in the shower). I was praying in my head and having a hard time keeping my thoughts focused. I guess sometime during this time I started to think about the old TV show Bonanza. Well next thing I know I was praying for the salvation of the character Hoss. Not for the actor (who I think is dead already) but for the part he played.

The moral of this story is watch out for the rabbits!

[kroschild]

I can see why someone would argue that it is better to pray out loud. While I love having a personal relationship with my Father, I know that it is sometimes tempting to forget that He is also the Lord of Heaven and Earth--not literally, but I mean that we sometimes lose our awe of Him by the way we speak to Him. Praying aloud can help to avoid this by forcing us to form complete thoughts and address Him without losing our focus as easily. That said, I often pray silently; it is the easiest way to "speak" to Him when my heart is too full to form a complete thought. I think both forms of prayer are good: the kind where we talk to Him as our friend, and let Him follow us down rabbit holes (I'm sure He must get a kick out of mine sometimes--He made us with a sense of humor, so I know He has one); I also think we need to have time with Him where we use the kind of formal speech we would when addressing someone powerful. You wouldn't meet the ___(fill in person important, ie President, Queen of England, etc) and say "hey! what's up!" God deserves our recognition of His power--the God described in the Old Testament was powerful and fearful! Just think on the plagues He sent a while if you need a reminder! Formal prayer is more a reminder to US of who He is and what He has done--we are forgetful, after all! Don't fall into the trap of, "I could never forget how powerful He is, I don't need to remind myself." The Jews in Jerusalem saw His power through Jesus and shouted His praises one day, and killed Him the next! Are we so arrogant as to think we wouldn't have been in that crowd?

[Guest fiverottendogs]

I like to do both. Sometimes when I pray out loud it helps me to keep track of what I am saying. If I am quiet sometimes I let my mind wonder as I have seen other people hear say. Alot of times when I pray out loud I feel like I am praying with more boldness, know what I mean? It's like I can get in the devil's face and let him know he know he can't win. BUT I think there are times when we can do both-it's just a personal thing I think.