What Good is Prayer?

Josiah

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In our prayer request forum, stravinsk raised this question.....
IMO, it is best raised not in that forum, but is certainly worthy of a thread all it's own, and so is offered here:


stravinsk said:
May I ask (and in spirit of those kinds of prayers that ask for instant healing, assurances of things that may not be true etc) - what kind of witness Christians hope to share when and if those prayers are not answered to their liking?

I don't mean to be mean - but Christians mostly seem to pray to God as if He is the Magic Genie in the Sky. Like an obese person praying they magically get thin or don't develop heart problems all while stuffing down massive amounts of animal fat and cholesterol into their body.

Because God doesn't seem to typically answer these types of prayers with Miracles like "instant weight loss" or "magical artery clearing".

On a board like this one, I was beaten down by a bunch of hopeful people (and staff at the time because the deluded all wished to complain about it) for doubting someone would be healed of terminal brain cancer simply on prayers. It turns out I was right - their prayers didn't do jack. The person suffered and died despite all their prayers. Just like millions do every year - because someone is always sick and dying of something. It was not as if I was being mean - quite the opposite - because you see the "widower" status next to my faith designation? I was in the same position at one time - and I know how cruel false hope is.

So, I ask - what is the point?

The only good I can see is that if people actually pray for God's Will - and to the extent they are able - align themselves with it. Like curing Scurvy, pellagra or beriberi with actual knowledge - this seems to be how God typically acts in His Creation - and not on exceptions to the rule - Miracles.




.


YOUR reply?

Christians, why pray?

What about unanswered prayer?

Can there be a "false hope" in prayer?





.
 

Josiah

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Stravinsk,


It's a good valid question .... and one I think a lot of agnostics raised. Some Christians do, too! I think it was Mark Twain who commented that when he was a boy, he prayed for a fish hook but didn't get it - and that taught him that there ain't no God and no use in praying.


First of all, friend, I DO believe that our prayers CAN change things. Do I have any solid, scientific studies that prove that? No. And part of the reason is that there is no way to prove that prayer is the reason for the change. No matter what example I might present, your (quite logical) response might be "that would have happened without your prayer." You see my point, I'm sure.


Second, your question raises the very real issue of "unanswered" prayer. Perhaps I'll touch on that more later (because I'm not SURE there is such a thing) but certainly, undeniably, things don't always go as we express. I don't doubt that Samuel Clemens never got that fish hook. Different Christians here may give you different thoughts on this, but here's mine: God is not our pet who rolls over when and how we tell Him to.... God is not a thoughtless machine who just spits out according to what buttons we push and commands we give. Prayer is part of our RELATIONSHIP with God. God is not an lifeless machine but our Father. God listens to our prayer - but doesn't necessarily subsitute the instructions of our words. Maybe what Mark Twain actually desired - in his heart - was regular food for his family (a fish hook simply being how he thought God might accomplish this).


Third. This is harder, friend.... but more important. I think often God doesn't so much change THINGS as change US. Maybe Mark Twain needed changing so that he could be an instrument for feeding himself and others? When I was a boy, I remember my Mom and I would have nightly prayers. Prayers for me was a long list of "give-me's". That's becuase my faith was small.... and I was self-centered, mostly about promoting me. I probably through of God too much like Santa Clause. But I think I grew out of that pretty early. I remember by the time I started school, those prayers were instead a long list of "Blesses." I thought of all the people in my life (even pets, lol) that I wanted God to bless in one way or other (I could get pretty instructional, lol - as if God needed MY ideas and suggestions!!!). I began to learn about things in the community, people at church..... and my prayers turned to them. This was PARTLY because my faith matured.... and partly because I just matured a bit (I'm still working on it, however). And in time, I understood that sometimes, how God could bless is not so much by changing the situation (although that always can be an option) but by changing them. My prayers began to be "Strenghen our friend" or "comfort so-and-so" or "may this person feel your love and presence." I think by middle school, I understood that God works in people and not just in situations.


Fourth. And then it dawned on me. I think I had to get to a certain maturity (mentally, emotionally and spiritually) but my mom sensed I had. We'd talk about my prayer.... and she lead it to, "what can we do here? How can God use us?" I think I was a middle schooler. I remember two cases very, very powerfully - both served to teach me much about God and about prayer. The first, our church was working with an orphanage in Mexico. There was a video shown in church and I was APPALLED, I could not believe the poverty and needs. I prayed for those kids.... And Mom asked me what I could DO. I became quite passionate in working with the church, I worked hard to raise some money and other things. God could have just made some clothes and food appear (hey, He did just that with the manna in the wilderness.... for a widow during a drought) but in this case, He answered my prayer, a bit, by changing ME. The other case came a bit later, as I became passionately pro-life. I was maybe a freshmen in high school. Mom worked hard to get me to see the human side here, and not just the moral. How difficult an unexpected pregnancy is... how the mother's parents and the father of the baby often put a LOT of pressure on her to get an abortion (and why), how freightening this can be for the mother.... I prayed for those moms.... and then I looked for ways I could help them. Our church again was helpful because it was involved in a "pregnancy alternative center" there to help moms who choose to keep their baby. It weird..... a young teen BOY.... wanting to help. All the counselors and staff were, of course, women... I understandably was kept "in the back" but I did everything from secretarial work or janitorial work to cleaning the storeroom to helping one of the husbands deliver washing machines and refrigerators or sofas or whatever the mom needed. And those counselors talked HARD to this young teenage BOY; I "grew up" and gave a lot of thought to things in ways young teen boys don't. I don't KNOW, for sure, that any moms were specificially helped by what I did... but I hope I was an instrument, a tool in the hands of God, a means by which God was answering prayer. I learned (the hard way): Be careful what you pray for, God just may make YOU His means to answer it. And what a privilege when He does..... turns out TWO get blessed in the process.


FIFTH. Often, God's answer is coping. You mentioned the wife - praying with all her heart and soul - that her husband of 60 years survives this heart attack..... but he does not. That example, my friend, is a good one because at every funeral are people who prayed - earnestly - for a different outcome. Grief being perhaps the toughest thing anyone does - and Christians do it, too. We live - now - in a broken, fallen, busted world.... a world where God's will is not perfectly done, a world where God weeps. In the present state of things, God does not so much come to suddenly clean up everything, He comes to love and forgive, to bring His mercy and grace, to comfort and empower us - in the midst of the mess. It's not a peace because the storm has ended, it's peace in the middle of the storm. I'll forever remember when my grandpa died. He was in Wisconsin and me 2000 miles away and that hurt - I SO much wanted to be here, but took comfort that Jesus was there. I wanted to hug him one last time - but knew Jesus was doing that. Death is a horrible thing, a consequence of this fallenness, but it happens. Grandpa - and grandma and a grandson who loved him SO much - found comfort and strength in knowing God.... being in relationship to Him..... knowing God hears and cares and loves. Prayer changes us - not just in terms of our thoughts and ACTIONS, but also our emotions. I would have gotten though grandpa's death without faith, without prayer (billions do) but I SO appreciate the comfort and strength I had as a Christian. And knowing that I can cry to God - and He hears and understands.


Not the scientific proof you probably want.....


Blessings to you, my friend!



- Josiah



.
 
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MoreCoffee

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In our prayer request forum, stravinsk raised this question.....
IMO, it is best raised not in that forum, but is certainly worthy of a thread all it's own, and so is offered here:

YOUR reply?

Christians, why pray?

What about unanswered prayer?

Can there be a "false hope" in prayer?

Stravinsk is right. God is not a vending machine whose "coin" is earnest desire for something. God loves human beings. Love may not mean granting an earnest desire.

May God grant wisdom to his people according to his will as he desires and at the time he desire it to be.

Prayer for others ought, in my opinion, be couched in terms of accomplishing God's will. Jesus said it in the prayer that Catholics say at every mass. "Thy will be done, as in heaven, here on earth".

The matter of daily bread and forgiveness are present in Jesus prayer lesson "Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive the trespasses of other"

And the matter of motives and occasions for sins is also present in his prayer lesson "lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil"

To this we say "amen".
 

Tigger

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My wife is answered prayer from God and if anyone disagreed with me on that face to face I'd punch them right in the nose...:boxing:
 

faramir.pete

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I think people that ask whether God answers prayer, or more explicitly why doesn’t God answer prayer, are only interested in getting God to answer in a specific way.

What we all need to recognise is that answers come in many ways, lets all remember that No is also an answer!

In the case highlighted by Josiah of a terminally ill person with cancer who died, it is likely that God’s answer was to take that person home to heaven, I know of a number of people with similar experiences.

So prayer is always effective but we need to stop bringing unreasonable expectations along with our requests. All we can really do is ask and wait in faith for Him to abswer the best way He knows.


Pete from Peterborough UK
 

MoreCoffee

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My wife is answered prayer from God and if anyone disagreed with me on that face to face I'd punch them right in the nose...:boxing:

I can't help but chuckle at the post :)
 

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In our prayer request forum, stravinsk raised this question.....
IMO, it is best raised not in that forum, but is certainly worthy of a thread all it's own, and so is offered here:

YOUR reply?

Christians, why pray?

What about unanswered prayer?

Can there be a "false hope" in prayer?
.

I pray because I like to keep the lines of communication open between myself and the Almighty. God's not a genie. He's the Creator, Sovereign and Savior of the Universe. To pray merely for gain misses the whole point of prayer, which ought to include confession and praise as well as petitions. Scripture says that when we ask for things before God in prayer for the wrong motives, we should expect to receive nothing as a result. As well as keeping the lines open between me and the Almighty, prayer also is a reflective tool, when we speak before the Lord, we should reflect on the words we speak before Him. I don't believe in unanswered prayer.. just that on occasion the answer will be " no." If there is a " false" hope in prayer, that might be because we're missing the point of the whole exercise. What we could be doing is adding the whole " not my will, but Thine be done" caveat to everything we pray. Again, the One we address our prayers to is our Royal Sovereign. We can ask, but never demand, good things of Him and either we'll receive what we ask for, or we won't.

Submission to God's will ( whatever it may be) is no easy thing, but asking for the gift of the Holy Spirit to live lives of joyful subjection to the will of God should really be an integrated part of anybody's prayer life.
 

psalms 91

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I pray because I like to keep the lines of communication open between myself and the Almighty. God's not a genie. He's the Creator, Sovereign and Savior of the Universe. To pray merely for gain misses the whole point of prayer, which ought to include confession and praise as well as petitions. Scripture says that when we ask for things before God in prayer for the wrong motives, we should expect to receive nothing as a result. As well as keeping the lines open between me and the Almighty, prayer also is a reflective tool, when we speak before the Lord, we should reflect on the words we speak before Him. I don't believe in unanswered prayer.. just that on occasion the answer will be " no." If there is a " false" hope in prayer, that might be because we're missing the point of the whole exercise. What we could be doing is adding the whole " not my will, but Thine be done" caveat to everything we pray. Again, the One we address our prayers to is our Royal Sovereign. We can ask, but never demand, good things of Him and either we'll receive what we ask for, or we won't.

Submission to God's will ( whatever it may be) is no easy thing, but asking for the gift of the Holy Spirit to live lives of joyful subjection to the will of God should really be an integrated part of anybody's prayer life.
Prayer is never unanswered just sometimes the answer is no. We pray for many things but what is the will of God for us in our lives? Whatever it is He will not grant what will lead us drom that or will hurt us in some way. As for healing life and death is decided by God notus. When you prayed for healing did you seek God and see what He had to say? Prayer is always answered and at least for me I take comfort in prayer and feel a peace when I pray usually
 

Confessional Lutheran

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Prayer is never unanswered just sometimes the answer is no. We pray for many things but what is the will of God for us in our lives? Whatever it is He will not grant what will lead us drom that or will hurt us in some way. As for healing life and death is decided by God notus. When you prayed for healing did you seek God and see what He had to say? Prayer is always answered and at least for me I take comfort in prayer and feel a peace when I pray usually

When I prayed for healing, I trusted God to work to answer my prayer and He did, but He did not do so without means, namely, not without the doctor and the medications he prescribed. So also do we discern God's will for us in the Holy Scriptures. What applies to us collectively as Christ's Church applies also to me as a Christian. Of course I would pray and search out the Lord's Word in whatever situation I found myself in.
 
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Lamb

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One thing to add is that in our prayers we show love for our neighbor through our empathy toward them.
 

Stravinsk

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In fairness to the text of my original quote, and the fact that I have and do occasionally pray for members of this site (although it may not always be evident through the "pray" button - which I don't think I've used (or will use)), and in general -

The title of this thread "what good is prayer?" is not really what I was aiming for as a suitable summary for the points I raised. I do pray, and I find it helpful.

What I can gather so far is that no one (forgive if I missed it) is really answering the first question in my quote:

"May I ask (and in spirit of those kinds of prayers that ask for instant healing, assurances of things that may not be true etc) - what kind of witness Christians hope to share when and if those prayers are not answered to their liking?"

The reason I phrased the question this way is because prayers for certain things (like healings) fall remarkably short of Yeshua's healings in the bible - and His disciples healings in the bible. Do not use the excuse that they were "more special" -because according to His own teachings - real followers of Him get results.

Some people answer that God simply has determined it's time for some to "come home" with regards to terminal illness (especially if they are at earlier stages in life), or say that the answer to prayers of healing for them is simply "no".

Anyone who has watched a loved one suffer through cancer or other terminal illness (and more acutely - watched them suffer even more with the so called "treatments" that they receive from the medical establishment) - cannot tell me that they honestly all believe in a loving Creator who has deemed millions of people suffer the lot of Job - and for no reason at all except as some sort of test of devotion - or to "bring them home quicker" - because it's getting lonely in Heaven? Who knows.

To me this is neither consistent with the character of a loving God nor is it consistent with the Faith of Yeshua, nor of the apostles who never failed to deliver in the healing area - except in cases of Yeshua and certain unbelieving towns (whole groups of people, apparently) where it's not even said He tried but just that He couldn't as there was so little faith in them.

I've long thought modern lack of healings in Christianity had to do with non-Sabbath observance - because if you look - nearly all the healings of Christ were done on Sabbath - and in Acts with the disciples this is also so. If there is preaching in the synagogues where the Jews are, or the disciples are on their way - it's the Sabbath - as there is no other day for them to be gathered in a Synagogue or the Temple - unless it is a Jewish holy day (also Sabbaths).

I still think this is part of it. Most people (Except Adventists and others who think they are keeping the correct day in good conscience) wearing the Christian mantel are also rebels with regard to this particular day. Active and antagonistic rebels, some of them - some who would even claim Yeshua as their example - by believing the Jews accusations that he was actually breaking the command! If so - their "savior" is not a sinless one ;) - and is hence a type of false Christ.

But there is something more.

Many of the diseases that plague western society in particular (and through the influence of companies worldwide - now plague other nations) come down to what we consume. This is now an established fact.

The original diet given to man was completely herbivorous. Plants, trees, their fruit and their seed. What does this tell us? According to the original plan of God we weren't designed to eat animals at all. However - there was a great great rebellion before the flood and man had become exceedingly evil - so bad that God deemed it necessary to wipe all humans off the earth save Noah and his family. It is after this period that God says "ok - you can now eat animals - but here are the rules".

Man's physical design did not change between pre-flood and post flood. We were created as herbivores according to the bible - and nothing physiologically changed after the flood. The human body can consume, digest and get nutrients from meat - but only in a way that no other animal - carnivore or omnivore does - we have to cook it so we don't get sick. All of our physical characteristics class us as herbivores - from intestine length to teeth to how we move our jaw to lack of claws for tearing our prey.

The frustration of my post and some of the things I mentioned directly reflect these things. As humans - we are meant to consume whole foods - plant based foods. And of the plant based foods - we are certainly not meant to greatly separate them in order to sell their individual parts for more money (refined sugar vs molasses) or for longer shelf life ( taking out the bran and germ in grains like wheat ).

Refined foods (foods that have great decreases in vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein), chemical foods (additives like Aspartame and others) and getting all or most of our vitamin, mineral and protein needs through animal foods (B vitamins, iron etc or calcium from cow milk)

- are the reasons I believe the western world is suffering epidemics of all kinds of disease from diabetes to heart disease to cancer. These are the base or causal reasons and it is to plants we must look in general for the cure (and sometimes, special ones like Cannabis that has properties in it that if consumed as intended (eaten) greatly speeds up the healing.


Getting back to how this ties in to prayer:

As a Deist, I firmly believe that God does not break His own Design except in special circumstances. This is one of the things that makes some of the miracles in the Bible so special. But they are not the norm - they are done for reasons. When it comes to design issues and diseases arising from rebellion against design:

Scurvy: Refusing all plant foods will result in lack of Vitamin C - humans (unlike carnivores) don't make it - we need to eat it from the plant world - so scurvy is brought on by rebellion against design!
Pellagra and BeriBeri are also brought on by B vitamin nutritional deficiencies when grains are refined (their parts are separated from each other). In Pellagra (niacin deficiency) the germ is removed from the corn in making cornmeal. In beriberi(thiamine deficiency) -it's the husk of rice that's removed - both of these are examples of messing with nature that results in a disease from a deficiency.

Rebellion against Design results in a greater chance of disease.

God is not going to change his Design to fit humans. So a person who refuses all plant foods and develops scurvy - they have brought it on themselves - the only prayers that are of use is the one that leads the person to the knowledge that plants containing vitamin C help their condition.

Magic healing prayers in Jesus name will not work - if they are done in a context of rebellion against design!

God is not going to change his Design to fit humans. A diet that is high in processed, refined and chemical foods and meats is not how God designed humans. Most of our modern diseases are a direct result of degrees of rebellion against design. Obesity, heart disease, diabetes, clogged arteries, cancer - come from our dietary habits, exposure to chemicals - and in infants - mostly from their mother's dietary habits or exposure to chemicals.


These are design issues - and so far in human history - God doesn't provide the greater answer for the masses in any other form - His design. Not miracles - And Christians don't get a free pass.
 

Josiah

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The title of this thread "what good is prayer?" is not really what I was aiming for as a suitable summary for the points I raised.


Forgive me if I broadened the discussion a bit. But note that I did state as a question for the thread, "What about unanswered prayer?"

If you want a different title, let me know, it can be changed.



"May I ask (and in spirit of those kinds of prayers that ask for instant healing, assurances of things that may not be true etc) - what kind of witness Christians hope to share when and if those prayers are not answered to their liking?"
The reason I phrased the question this way is because prayers for certain things (like healings) fall remarkably short of Yeshua's healings in the bible - and His disciples healings in the bible. Do not use the excuse that they were "more special" -because according to His own teachings - real followers of Him get results. Some people answer that God simply has determined it's time for some to "come home" with regards to terminal illness (especially if they are at earlier stages in life), or say that the answer to prayers of healing for them is simply "no". Anyone who has watched a loved one suffer through cancer or other terminal illness (and more acutely - watched them suffer even more with the so called "treatments" that they receive from the medical establishment) - cannot tell me that they honestly all believe in a loving Creator who has deemed millions of people suffer the lot of Job - and for no reason at all except as some sort of test of devotion - or to "bring them home quicker" - because it's getting lonely in Heaven? Who knows.


Again, I accept that this is a valid question. And I think several here (including me) attempted to address it. I predicted that I doubted anything offered would be definitive or possibly accepted to you, but I DO think there are already been several various attempts to address it. I hope others will chime in.





But there is something more. Many of the diseases that plague western society in particular (and through the influence of companies worldwide - now plague other nations) come down to what we consume. This is now an established fact.
The original diet given to man was completely herbivorous. Plants, trees, their fruit and their seed. What does this tell us? According to the original plan of God we weren't designed to eat animals at all. However - there was a great great rebellion before the flood and man had become exceedingly evil - so bad that God deemed it necessary to wipe all humans off the earth save Noah and his family. It is after this period that God says "ok - you can now eat animals - but here are the rules". Man's physical design did not change between pre-flood and post flood. We were created as herbivores according to the bible - and nothing physiologically changed after the flood. The human body can consume, digest and get nutrients from meat - but only in a way that no other animal - carnivore or omnivore does - we have to cook it so we don't get sick. All of our physical characteristics class us as herbivores - from intestine length to teeth to how we move our jaw to lack of claws for tearing our prey.
The frustration of my post and some of the things I mentioned directly reflect these things. As humans - we are meant to consume whole foods - plant based foods. And of the plant based foods - we are certainly not meant to greatly separate them in order to sell their individual parts for more money (refined sugar vs molasses) or for longer shelf life ( taking out the bran and germ in grains like wheat ). Refined foods (foods that have great decreases in vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein), chemical foods (additives like Aspartame and others) and getting all or most of our vitamin, mineral and protein needs through animal foods (B vitamins, iron etc or calcium from cow milk) - are the reasons I believe the western world is suffering epidemics of all kinds of disease from diabetes to heart disease to cancer. These are the base or causal reasons and it is to plants we must look in general for the cure (and sometimes, special ones like Cannabis that has properties in it that if consumed as intended (eaten) greatly speeds up the healing.


Interesting, but friend, I just don't see an obvious connection to PRAYER and the issue of "answering" of such. Perhaps this needs a separate thread.






Magic healing prayers in Jesus name will not work - if they are done in a context of rebellion against design! God is not going to change his Design to fit humans. A diet that is high in processed, refined and chemical foods and meats is not how God designed humans. Most of our modern diseases are a direct result of degrees of rebellion against design. Obesity, heart disease, diabetes, clogged arteries, cancer - come from our dietary habits, exposure to chemicals - and in infants - mostly from their mother's dietary habits or exposure to chemicals. These are design issues - and so far in human history - God doesn't provide the greater answer for the masses in any other form - His design. Not miracles - And Christians don't get a free pass.


A valid point.....


Thank you!


- Josiah
 

NewCreation435

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I think we have to get away from the idea that prayer is somehow about telling God what to do or informing God about something. God doesn't need information from me. Neither, as Sovereign God do I tell him what to do. I share my concerns with him and the burdens on my heart, but the ultimate issue of how a prayer is answered is God's decision not mine. I
 

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What I find with many religious people is that too many just want to be comforted with lies. That's Jew and Gentile alike - and probably almost all people to some extent. So the prayers reflect that. When the miracles don't manifest because of their rebellious heart they not only can be tempted to hate God but they do a discredit to the name of their religion.

So it is with the Prophets - as Yeshua said. The people telling them the truth they murder in favor of people that will flatter them.
 

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This issue of prayer is perhaps the most difficult for me. I have to go to our Lord's prayers to try get an understanding of its function. In Yeshua we see him giving praise and seeking the Father's care for his children. I don't see Yeshua praying for healing, even though he could heal as he willed. I see Yeshua telling us to pray and sharing the illustration of a father giving gifts to his children. In some passages it seems that all we have to do is ask and our Father will respond. In other passages it is suggested that is true unless we ask amiss.
Experience shows me that God rarely heals in a miraculous way when our bodies break down. Instead, God uses medicines to help slow the breakdown or he just let's the breakdown take place for reasons only he knows.
I will share the past 8 years of my life when God chose to allow waves of sorrow to crash upon me.
The first crash started when my sister-in-law was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She started chemo and radiation because surgery was not an option. Shortly after this, my brother's first child was born and it was discovered he had an incurable genetic disease (SMA-type 1, is like Lou Gerhig's disease for children). As we were praying for healing in two areas, my brother (who was married to my sister-in-law with the tumor) suddenly died from a heart attack. God chose not to heal my nephew, Josiah, and he died in December of the same year.
Praise God, my sister-in-law's tumor shrank, but she could no longer work. God provided funds to help her.
In 2011 my other brother had another child, this time a girl, but God made her with SMA as well. We again prayed that God would heal. Later that year, I was laid-off from the job I loved. This lead to 4 years of struggle to find a job. I had too much experience. I had to reinvent my career.
In 2013 my brother had another child, his son was also born with SMA (the odds were one-in-four and all three had SMA). We prayed for healing and my brother and his wife worked harder than any parents could to care for their children. Every decision was only to try comfort and prolong a life given to them by a loving God.
In the summer of 2013 my dad was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. He died 6 weeks after the diagnosis. In the fall my mother-in-law died from heart failure. In March of 2014 my nephew died due to SMA. His sister was stronger. Turns out girls with SMA tend to be stronger.
In the summer of 2014 my sister-in-law's tumor came back. Chemo and radiation would not help, but she fought. She lost her battle the next year.
Bright spot. In 2015 God gave me a full-time job, which I still have. Praise God.
In the spring of 2016, my niece died after she had to either have surgery or die in pain due to complications with other body functions.
In all these things we prayed and we prayed. We poured out our hearts for miraculous healing. God chose not to heal.
I have a brother and sister-in-law who are the greatest parents I have ever met, but no longer have living children. I have two nephews that have no parents. I miss my dad and mother-in-law. I have grieved deeply all these years.
I still believe in prayer. But, I don't understand it. I have read book after book after book on prayer, but I still don't really understand prayer.
I understand faith. I am grateful for all the dark threads God has brought to me and my family. I know that these dark threads come from a good God who has chosen to love me and my family. I have come to understand that if God only saved me from my sin and did nothing else, it would be an act of love greater than I deserve. It is enough. I am content.
I will one day be with God in heaven and all my loved ones will be there worshipping God. God simply brought them home before me. My purpose on earth is not yet over.
What I know is that my experiences give me an audience that will listen when I tell them that God will provide all our needs. God will bring us through the valley. God will give us the daily grace to persevere in faith. God will sanctify us and make us more like Jesus. I tell them this truth:
God is good all the time and all the time God is good.
I still don't understand prayer, but I understand God is a very good God!
 

Wilhemena

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Our Father expects us to pray as any father would expect his child to come to him at times of need or even to merely say thank you and whether we receive an answer we want or not is not the purpose of prayer life. It is communication and directs us back to Him who has great mercy when we do not see it or understand it.
 

MennoSota

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Our Father expects us to pray as any father would expect his child to come to him at times of need or even to merely say thank you and whether we receive an answer we want or not is not the purpose of prayer life. It is communication and directs us back to Him who has great mercy when we do not see it or understand it.
This is all well and good.
What do you do when your Father stays silent as you pray?
Prayer is not like a parlor conversation with your dad around a topic.
While God is our Father, he is also the Sovereign King. He is majestic beyond our understanding. (Read Ezekiel 1 to get just a glimpse of the Almighty.) To be in his presence is to be in awe, to cry out "woe is me a man of unclean lips."
Have you experienced the utter silence of God? This is a part of prayer that was hard to understand, yet in God's Sovereignty perfectly within His right. Somehow, in God's deep love, silence in the process of sanctification is necessary. We will not know why. We will only need to trust God's perfect plan and process.
So...yes, you are right, but there is more, so much more that is mysterious to me.
 

MennoSota

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https://utmost.org/the-purpose-of-prayer/
Prayer is not a normal part of the life of the natural man. We hear it said that a person’s life will suffer if he doesn’t pray, but I question that. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a person is born again from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve or nourish that life. Prayer is the way that the life of God in us is nourished. Our common ideas regarding prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.
“Ask, and you will receive…” (John 16:24). We complain before God, and sometimes we are apologetic or indifferent to Him, but we actually ask Him for very few things. Yet a child exhibits a magnificent boldness to ask! Our Lord said, “…unless you…become as little children…” (Matthew 18:3). Ask and God will do. Give Jesus Christ the opportunity and the room to work. The problem is that no one will ever do this until he is at his wits’ end. When a person is at his wits’ end, it no longer seems to be a cowardly thing to pray; in fact, it is the only way he can get in touch with the truth and the reality of God Himself. Be yourself before God and present Him with your problems— the very things that have brought you to your wits’ end. But as long as you think you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.
To say that “prayer changes things” is not as close to the truth as saying, “Prayer changes me and then I change things.” God has established things so that prayer, on the basis of redemption, changes the way a person looks at things. Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature.
 

Asuk

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Christians, why pray?
For forgiveness and to give praise to the lord.

What about unanswered prayer?
You asked for something that wasn’t in his divine plan.

Can there be a "false hope" in prayer?

If you asked for something that wasn’t in his divine plan and expected to get it then yes.
 

hedrick

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It's a good valid question .... and one I think a lot of agnostics raised. Some Christians do, too! I think it was Mark Twain who commented that when he was a boy, he prayed for a fish hook but didn't get it - and that taught him that there ain't no God and no use in praying.
... edited for brevity, but I'm thinking of the whole posting
My first reaction is that this it the best answer we're going to get.

But I can't help thinking about Mark 11:24

"So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

I've never been attracted to Pentecostalism, but they're right that Jesus seemed to heal on demand, and sent out his followers to do the same.
 
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