What is the point of prayer?

[emeraldgirl]

I haven't ever been able to get a satisfying answer to this question, so I'm hoping this will be a better place to try.

I have been given responses (IRL), but they don't really work.

"Prayer is conversing with God."

Not really; at best, it would be a monolog.

Most mature Christians would snicker at the idea of praying for things that increase our comfort, i.e., "Oh, Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?" I agree. But most things Christians pray for, or ask for prayer from others for, are essentially to increase their own comfort. If I pray for someone who has cancer, I am praying for their comfort, although this is certainly more noble than praying for a nice car.

I have read Stormie Omartian's Power of a Praying (X) books. All of these prayers are essentially a prayer that life would be as comfortable as possible for oneself and/or the spouse, child or whomever we're saying the prayer for.

It seems to me that the only thing any mature Christian really might pray is, "God, whatever your will is, I pray for that." Pretty concise. One might even wonder why you would need to pray that God's will would be done, since he is Omnipotent, but since we have Jesus' example of praying God's will be done, I wouldn't argue that point too stenuously.

It would be so nice if someone could really answer this question for me in a way that would give me some peace. Because whenever I do try to pray, I might babble for a moment about something that I would like to have happen, annex it with, "But, I guess, whatever Your will is, that is really what should happen." and then I wonder why I bothered to mention what I would prefer in the first place. Kind of like, when you were a kid, and you knew if you asked for ice cream, the answer was going to be no, but you asked anyway and then weren't surprised when you heard "no".

[eagleswings]

First off you sound a bit cold, and that you only have head knowledge about the Lord and have had no lifechanging experience................... when the Lord comes into Your heart and You meet Jesus Your Heart will change, and You will be aware of His Reality and Presence within Yourself, and a longing desire to really know the one who created you should emerge within you, Growing with Jesus is a process........... the more you stay in "prayer" communion with Him the More you Understand His Word (the bible), it is cultivating a personal relationship with Him, Your mind gets renewed and You think different than you did before you were saved. No one can give you this personal relationship with Him, it is a longing you have within yourself, and come expecting nothing............. He already gave you His All, You see the cross and what He did for You should come alive for You, and You should fall so in love with Him, that prayer and longing to get to know Him should come naturally.................... hope this helps in some small way, as to what you are seeking for

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Emeraldgirl,

First we are commanded to pray and Jesus gave us a "model prayer" from which to begin:

Matt 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Secondly we are to pray continually:

Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

Thirdly we are to pray for all things:

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Fourthly (and mainly) we are to pray in the Spirit:

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

1 Cor 14:14-15 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

I'm sure you have seen all this and know all this, and what these things do is help us to put aside the clutter of this world that fills our minds and hearts for a time so that we can place fully attention on our Lord. The more we pray and study the Word of God, the more the Holy Spirit is able to "recall to our minds the things which Christ has taught us, AND to reveal to us things to come." We can be assured of the following:

1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in 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.

So our prayers amounts to bringing OUR will into conformity with HIS will. When that happens, we know that whatever we ask, He shall do it.

I hope that helps.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[kodischild]

I guess prayer is as much for us as for anything else. What can I possibly tell Him? I can tell Him that I am in way over my head and need His help. He already knows that and is just waiting for me to ask Him. He won't force His help on us, so that is why we ask Him for things in prayer.

As for the cancer example, I can't see any problem with asking God for health. Jesus certainly healed people, He didn't give away donkeys. There is a difference. Personally if I pray for someone with cancer I pray that they and their family will have the strength they need to get through, whatever the outcome. Whenever something bad happens and I pray for the people involved I pray that it will help them become closer to God. Again, He knows their needs but helps when He is asked rather than foring His help on us.

You used the example of being a child and wanting ice cream. If that child asks for ice cream sometimes he will get it, sometimes he won't. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask. If the child asks for help crossing the main road he is going to get it and his parents will be glad he asked for help rather than getting run over.

Prayer is also about having a relationship with God. In a lot of ways it is just like every other relationship. Half the stuff my best friend hears me say isn't really that important. Honestly, who really cares that I didn't sleep well, or that I have to get my car in for an oil change, or that I had a great sandwhich for lunch. Still, I talk to my friends about stupid stuff like that because if we only talk about the really, really big stuff then we won't have much of a relationship anymore. I listen when they talk back because if I don't listen then we still don't have a relationship anymore. That's how I see prayer, a conversation. And sure you won't hear God talk back if you don't listen. That doesn't have anything to do with Him not talking back, it is us who interrupts Him because we aren't paying enough attention.

[mandy3381]

Prayer is also about having a relationship with God. In a lot of ways it is just like every other relationship. Half the stuff my best friend hears me say isn't really that important. Honestly, who really cares that I didn't sleep well, or that I have to get my car in for an oil change, or that I had a great sandwhich for lunch. Still, I talk to my friends about stupid stuff like that because if we only talk about the really, really big stuff then we won't have much of a relationship anymore. I listen when they talk back because if I don't listen then we still don't have a relationship anymore. That's how I see prayer, a conversation. And sure you won't hear God talk back if you don't listen. That doesn't have anything to do with Him not talking back, it is us who interrupts Him because we aren't paying enough attention.

i agree with you, kodischild on the prayer being a conversation.

Whats the point of prayer? its a direct link to God, it provide strength when we are weak. It helps build our faith. It heals, rebuilds. As for asking God for personal things, why not? Thats what Jebeez did, he asked God to bless him indeed, meaning abundaantly, more than he could ask for or even might not deserve, why? because he knew his God could and Would provide for those that will only ask. God wants us to have a personal relationship with him and i have yet to find anyone in a personal close very happy and satisfying relationship with anyone that does not communicate(talk) to one another.

We Pray to get to know God better to learn to trust Him for everything and to help us get along better with other people, maybe to help those who are struggling thru each day. We pray to give Glory and honor to God. To be thankful just for being alive, being able to take that next breath.

YSIC

Mandy

[IslandRose]

I found the best definition of prayer in an ancient book on my mom's bookshelf. I cannot remember who wrote the book, but the quote was accredited to a 10 year old school boy.

Prayer is an offering of our desires unto God for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies.

As Dad Ernie stated, prayer is about bringing us into conformity with His will. It is not about twisting God's arm to make him do what we want him to do.

It is also communication with God, but only when you spend time listening to Him (by reading His Word) and don't do all the talking (in prayer.)

[peaches]

i am gonna chip in my two cents by expanding on what has been said already

Prayer is an offering of our desires unto God for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies.

to me this is not saying we are praying for things that we will get only if God wants us to get em, to me thats saying that we are praying for things that are within the context of the bible

( He is His word, remember )....things that would not go outside of what the bible would approave of.....sorta like praying withing guidlines we are given....once we become one with Him though, we wont even think about this one cos it will be our new nature to pray for things that He desires .... . u wouldnt pray for, say, for people to recognise that u are the reason that a major change for the good happened in ur community.....there is nothing wrong with people realising this (awards are handed out all the time for such things) but as a christian, u learn to pray for Gods hand to be seen, through u, that such and such a major change has occured

It is also communication with God, but only when you spend time listening to Him (by reading His Word) and don't do all the talking (in prayer.)

this has been my major struggle. prayer is not informing God of things He doesnt know that we want fixed, its a way of communication....confiding in Him. He already knows all this stuff !!(contrary to what my religion prof would say)

i sometimes find myself in ur postion and i usually remind myself that prayer will make me realise His hand in my life. look at it this way, God is continually working in this world but people who dont know Him will think u are nuts if u tell them this.

better example would be if God works a miracle in ur life but u hadnt prayed for it, u wouldnt know it was Him and the result would be that u wouldnt realise His ability to do so in ur life. if u are in constant meditation...praying all the time for the little things in ur life....then u are able to see Him answer and u are able to appreciate Him being there and Him being Him. its not that he wouldnt have pulled u off the curb to stop u from being run down by a car....its just that now u can thank Him for doing so cos u know it was God who did so (not chance) because u would have prayed for it.....

but i ramble.....the best answer to ur question will come from the source but u are gonna need to pray to ask Him

[Giaour]

I pray because it brings me comfort.

I feel safe, secure, and worthwhile when I pray.

I feel like God really hears me and fills me with warm fuzzies.

I don't know how many times I have fallen asleep in prayer because of the security I felt.

[hools]

I personally think prayer is not about changing G-d's mind or asking for things to go our way... but I'm beginning to think prayer is mainly about changing US... and how we think of G-d and how we relate to Him in our daily lives... how we pray is a good measuring stick for a few things:

1) how big, Holy, powerful, worthy, etc. we think G-d is.

2) how we see ourselves in relation to Him.

3) how honest we are.

4) how intimate our relationship is with the Father.

[emeraldgirl]

First, thank you all, for your responses.

First off you sound a bit cold, and that you only have head knowledge about the Lord and have had no lifechanging experience................... when the Lord comes into Your heart and You meet Jesus Your Heart will change, and You will be aware of His Reality and Presence within Yourself, and a longing desire to really know the one who created you should emerge within you, Growing with Jesus is a process

This is part of the difficulty for me. I have had the certain point of Salvation. I have met Jesus; my heart did change. We were intimate buds. I was certain of His Presence and did want to know Him. I was all about doing what God wanted. I prayed about everything, then, but was very careful that not my own will, but His would be done.

I saw things happen in my life that I could readily say were "answered prayer". I got impressions of things in my spirit about my life and acted accordingly, at least as best I could. Even more recently, (though I think at this point I am one lousy, non-exemplary Christian), I still had impressions of two things I felt I should change. It nagged my spirit until I changed them and now I am more comfortable about them. That is what someone would call "acting according to God's leading".

But going the way I felt God was leading hurt me in some major ways. My child died; my family rejected me; my best friend turned on me. I know that doing God's will doesn't mean there will be no suffering. The Bible certainly has plenty in the way of example for that. But then I wonder why sign up for that, then?

To put the relationship context another way, if we are in a relationship and I love you with all my heart and I have the power to make things good for you, why wouldn't I? God wants us to pray to Him and he wants us to worship Him, but if it doesn't amount to anything when things really matter, why bother?

If losing a child was part of His will, why would I pray for His will to be done? Maybe His will is that all my other kids die, too?

I have sung the songs - and I meant them - "I give my life to the Potter's hands..." I really thought I did. But when He took it, I had to wonder if I ever meant that like I thought I did. If I say, again, that I give it all to Him, it is all His anyway, I feel as though I'm inviting more pain. So, I say, nevermind, then. Leave me alone. I don't want to be Job. I don't want to be admired for my strength or my faith. I don't want to be refined in the fire. I want my kids to grow up. So, that is my will. I would pray for that, among other things. But if it doesn't go that way, then what?

I homeschool my kids. Ocassionally, we read about the beliefs of an ancient culture. We laugh; their beliefs seem so silly. But isn't our faith just as silly? We pray for things. If they go the way we'd like, that is "answered prayer". If they don't, that is God's will and we need to somehow come to terms with it.

Sometimes, I just think life is sorrowful and tragic and people are mostly selfish. It seems easier to think it's just randomely sorrowful, not that I should be chosen to suffer.

There have been good things that have come since my daughter died. Nothing is all bad. In some good ways, it profoundly changed me as a person. I've definately become very tolerant, especially as a mother. But I can't process it spiritually. That is probably the bad way it changed me.

I don't even know how I could feel like I love God now. Mostly, we feel love towards people who behave in a caring way. How can I even want to love Him if I feel He doesn't care?