A Question For Those Who Pray

[society]

How does prayer work for you? How does it translate in your life?

[woofgang]

Difficult to answer. i find that sometimes I just need to talk to someone who will never tell anyone what i have said, or judge me for it, or try to help.
Sorry, that's not much of an answer......

[birdie1971]

Prayer simply does not work.

By which I mean that praying for something to happen (or not to) does make it happen (or not) or encourage it to happen (or not). Prayer is really just another word for wishful thinking. People who pray often make the claim that it makes them feel 'better' and/or it strengthens their faith. Fair enough. But that doesn't mean it 'works' in the literal, real-world sense.

Real studies (with real people and real control groups) have been carried out to asses the efficacy of prayer. Every properly conducted study has shown the same result – prayer has no validity as a tool to change the external world.

[birdie1971]

Suzie believes otherwise...

[wildwood]

When my Mother in law was in hospital years ago, she was suffering from extreme bone cancer and was beyond most pain relief. She still lasted for another three weeks in agony, despite max morphine. Being a sally lady and helping many souls during her life, it appeared that she did find some comfort in praying, despite her ridiculous and cruel situation she still believed that it was her god's will.

[goodlife]

One of the first things that some people realize is that, instead of there being something wrong with God, could there be something wrong with the prayers?

[naomi24]

^^Is that anything like the wrong kind of snow on train lines?

[anneasquith]

in my experience.... people of faith ? can find it very comforting if they know they are being prayed for .

[jomifl]

Fortunately goodlife knows exactly the right kind of prayers but won't tell you unless you sign up for life...

[chakka35]

Funnily enough, anneasquith, those same tests which show that prayer does not work also showed, when they tried other tests in which those who were being prayed for knew it, that such people were more anxious than the others!

Their attitude seemed to be: if I'm being prayed for I must be worse than I thought.

[keyplus90]

First of all the word “Prayer” is a bit confusing. Few people believe that prayer means asking God for something. Whereas your daily rituals (act of worship) you do can be termed as prayer too. Keeping this in mind I believe that your question refers to the first aspect, asking God for something.

First of all as human we do not really know what might or might not be good for us. Something we may wish for but that might not be good for us. So few prayers are usually answered by not being answered the way we wanted them to.

Few people claim that they never pray. Do they never wish about anything n their life? Prayer does not have to be in any specific words. According to Islam God knows what is in your heart (or mind). When people get their wish then they never think about it but if they do not get the wish then they claim that prayers do not work.

Someone once asked Ali Ibne Abi Talib (cousin and son in law to Muhammad,Pbuh) that why should I pray (ask for) if God has already decided what I am going to get?

He replied, How do you know that it’s not written there that you would ask for it and then it would be given to you?

[goodlife]

During World War II it was said, “There are no atheists on life rafts.” When the airplane was down in the sea, the radio was dead, land was a thousand miles away, provisions were almost gone, and no help was in sight—when all other sources of aid had been exhausted—then men raised their eyes and prayed.
But is that what prayer is all about? Is prayer a last resort, to be dug up from the back of the mind after all else has failed?


No, Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him.(NCV) Hebrews 11:6

[Kiki-frog]

I know Christians who believe very strongly in the power of prayer, but I also know Wiccans who believe in the power of magic. Maybe they are one and the same. And if people say that these things have worked for them, then who am I to tell them that they're wrong.

[maggiebee]

Received this from a friend:

The man whispered “God speak to me” and a meadowlark sang
But the man did not hear

So the man yelled “God speak to me” and the thunder rolled all around
But the man did not listen

The man looked around and said “God let me see you” and a star shone brightly
But the man did not see

And the man shouted “God show me a miracle” and a life was born
But the man did not notice

So, the man cried out in despair, “Touch me God, and let me know you are here.”
Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on

This is a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted....even in our electronic age..

So I would like to add one more:

The man cried “God, I need your help!” and an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.
But the man deleted it and continued crying.

Don’t miss out on a blessing because it isn’t packaged in the way you expect.

[goodlife]

Today there are true Christians, and false Christians so if people say that these things have worked for them, then who am I to tell them that they're wrong.

But is that enough? There is an old saying that actions speak louder than words.Matthew 7:21-23

[modeller]

I know a devout believer who two years ago prayed for his sick wife to recover, she did and he told me his prayer had been answered.
Last year she was sick again and he prayed for her to recover, she died and he told me his prayer had been answered.

When I asked how had it been answered, he said " S

[modeller]

cont. When I asked how had it been answered, he said " She is now in a better place, we are all on a pilgrimage to get there. "
That's the religious mind for you.

[jim360]

I'm not Christian but I've never found it a problem if people want to pray for me. Nice to know that they care for me, and are thinking about me. And believe me, that was a good thing to know a few years back. Sometimes like anything else it can be nice to share a problem, and I think that in that sense at least prayer works - can help people to de-stress by "sharing" their problem with their God.

Of course, as even my Christian Mum has pointed out, if you pray for someone who is sick and they get better, that's almost certainly down to the doctor or surgeon (although maybe "God was acting through him" - or not, if the operation failed). But I think most Christians I know are sensible enough to know that if they want to sovle problems, they have to DO things themselves. It's just that praying beforehand, and focusing on the problem, thinking about it, sharing it, can help them to be able to do that.

[birdie1971]

Jim “... It's just that praying beforehand, and focusing on the problem, thinking about it, sharing it, can help them to be able to do that...”

Precisely. Praying 'works' for the one who is saying the prayer but unfortunately no one else. It gives the one praying hope, purpose, and a sense of oneness with their imagined deity. And that's where the effectiveness of prayer ends. It cannot and does not affect the world outside of the prayer's own head.

[society]

keyplus90
"I believe that your question refers to the first aspect, asking God for something. "

You are speculating, and you are wrong. People also give thanks in prayers; I constantly do.

--------------------------------------

As I read each of your replies and difference of opinions, I realize there is message in most of the replies, and something to ponder upon.

Woofgang, I could relate to your reply very much. I am always talking to God, and also giving thanks for my many blessings.

[chakka35]

How sweet, maggiebee. How nauseatingly, stomach-churningly sweet.