A Bit Confused

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Melodeonist

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This is probably the silliest question of the decade, but here goes! :eek:

We are called to both pray and trust God. Now here’s my confusion: We are to trust in God that he will protect us and help us. Alright easy! Now here’s where I get lost: If we have to pray for things, then how can we trust God without praying? Am I confusing myself here? :confused:
 
He wants to know whether we care. Shouldn’t we want to know this about ourselves, too?

The more we pray, the more the benefit will spill over to other people.

Praying, is becoming actors in our own destiny.
 
Silliest question must belong to me.

😊

You pray and then trust in God.

Sometimes I feel He has answered what would be my prayers before I ask so I pray in thanks to Him.
 
Prayer is a conversation.
Would you trust a parent and never ever speak to him or her???
Would you never thank them?
Would you never be happy in their presence?
Would you never share good news with them?
Would you never ever be worried and go to them?

Would you never ever tell them you love them?
 
Melodeonist said:
This is probably the silliest question of the decade, but here goes! :eek:

We are called to both pray and trust God. Now here’s my confusion: We are to trust in God that he will protect us and help us. Alright easy! Now here’s where I get lost: If we have to pray for things, then how can we trust God without praying? Am I confusing myself here? :confused:
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I think a lot of people have this question. God is always there for us. However in order to be able to better understand him we need to pray and open our hearts to his message. Even the gravest sinners are being loved by God, however the sins they are committing are separating that connection. Praying to God for forgiveness is opening up the communication on our end so God can better protect us.
 
Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately, I’m still a bit confused. :o

Let me give an example. So we have a guy walking through the woods. He doesn’t think to pray for protection against a bear attack because it’s just not on his mind. Can the man trust God to protect him if he doesn’t ask God to protect him from bears?
 
pianistclare said:
Prayer is a conversation.
Would you trust a parent and never ever speak to him or her???
Would you never thank them?
Would you never be happy in their presence?
Would you never share good news with them?
Would you never ever be worried and go to them?

Would you never ever tell them you love them?
Click to expand...
👍
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately, I’m still a bit confused. :o

Let me give an example. So we have a guy walking through the woods. He doesn’t think to pray for protection against a bear attack because it’s just not on his mind. Can the man trust God to protect him if he doesn’t ask God to protect him from bears?
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Well, I think it is important to NOT put human limitations on God. I guess to answer you bear question, no the man can’t trust that God will protect him from the bear, because we don’t get to tell God what to do, even through prayer. What we CAN trust is that he is there and has a plan for our lives. If we prayed to him, he could save us from a bear attack, but that’s his will, not ours. He could also let us get attacked but give us the grace to get through it.

I know that this isn’t a clear black and white answer that I think you’re hoping for. However that is because God isn’t limited to our logic and reasoning. He has given us the gift of free will, yet he is God and can change situations if he so chooses.
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately, I’m still a bit confused. :o

Let me give an example. So we have a guy walking through the woods. He doesn’t think to pray for protection against a bear attack because it’s just not on his mind. Can the man trust God to protect him if he doesn’t ask God to protect him from bears?
Click to expand...
Code: 
 The Lord is perfect and all-knowing - He knows what you want and desire before you even ask Him. Although one may not, per say, make an official, formal prayer, the Lord still knows and listens to all of that person's thoughts, even a simple, "Lord, protect me," is the equivalent to a long, lengthy prayer in my opinion. The Lord loves you- He created you. He is our refuge- with Him, we are always safe, no matter what. Everything that happens to us, including what may seem awful at the time, the Lord will make perfect in His unique plan for each of us. Even though we may not always understand why things have to happen to us, like if a bear were to attack someone, as KildareBrigid has said, we can know for certain that the Lord will make something good come out of it.
In various places, for instance, you hear of people who have lost limbs due to tragic events in their lives. These people, though, instead of feeling sorry for themselves, have trusted the Lord throughout their struggles and they have inspired people to never give up.
Trust in the Lord for He is good.🙂
I hope this makes sense- I am trying to describe this as well as I can, but it can be hard to write things out sometimes.😊
May God bless you and everyone on this forum. 🙂
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately, I’m still a bit confused. :o

Let me give an example. So we have a guy walking through the woods. He doesn’t think to pray for protection against a bear attack because it’s just not on his mind. Can the man trust God to protect him if he doesn’t ask God to protect him from bears?
Click to expand...
Ever heard of Guardian angels?

We don’t “test” God’s love. 😦
 
Melodeonist said:
This is probably the silliest question of the decade, but here goes! :eek:

We are called to both pray and trust God. Now here’s my confusion: We are to trust in God that he will protect us and help us. Alright easy! Now here’s where I get lost: If we have to pray for things, then how can we trust God without praying? Am I confusing myself here? :confused:
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I think you’re confusing trust with presumption here.

God already knows what we need.

Prayer is for our own spiritual growth, to sustain our relationship with Him, and to grow in charity by praying not for our own selfish needs, but for our good and the good of others.
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately, I’m still a bit confused. :o

Let me give an example. So we have a guy walking through the woods. He doesn’t think to pray for protection against a bear attack because it’s just not on his mind. Can the man trust God to protect him if he doesn’t ask God to protect him from bears?
Click to expand...
God gave to us good common sense and the ability to freely choose,
we may not have prayed for them but he gifted these things to us,
so that we can use these gifts to keep ourselves and others from harm.
If you choose then to walk blind folded across ten lanes of peak hour traffic
you have chosen Not to trust God but rather to tempt God.

So Yes, we can trust God to protect us when we are doing the right thing.
If we are suddenly in a dangerous situation (the Bear, a fire, a car accident etc.)
and choose not to call on our Father for help,
then the one who is not to be trusted is ourselves and not God.

Hope this helped.
:tiphat:
 
Melodeonist said:
If we have to pray for things, then how can we trust God without praying?
Click to expand...
You’re treating prayer like it’s some sort of permission we give to God to do things for us, and if we don’t give that permission, He won’t do anything.

Trusting in God means that we seek His will in all things, not that we only extend confidence to Him insofar as things we’ve asked for are concerned. Frankly, that latter description is a trust only in one’s self, and it really isn’t trust in God at all.
 
Melodeonist:
Ask your priest to recommend some good Catholic books to learn more about the faith. It’s clear that your RCIA experience was pretty sketchy. Either you asked no questions, or they didn’t cover much.
Get some good reading material. It will calm many of your fears.
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately, I’m still a bit confused. :o

Let me give an example. So we have a guy walking through the woods. He doesn’t think to pray for protection against a bear attack because it’s just not on his mind. Can the man trust God to protect him if he doesn’t ask God to protect him from bears?
Click to expand...
Sorry to be jumping in a bit late, love, but this example reminded me of something in my past…

For about 14 years I left the Church as was living a crazy, sin-filled, God-defying, and then God-denying lifestyle. It was horrible. But as they say, if you live in the sewer long enough, you stop noticing the smell.

God totally protected me from more dangers than I will ever know! I didn’t ask for His protection. I was too busy denying Him. :imsorry:

But I am aware – looking back – that there were opportunities that I sought but didn’t get, and if I had gotten what I wanted, I might still be back where I was… miserable and on the fast track to hell. In hindsight, I can see so many of the “bears” that would have devoured me, but for a blocked path here, and a pesky nagging feeling there.

God is so good! 👍 Even when I don’t think to ask. Even when we don’t think we need to ask.

And even when I was actually denying Him and His authority, He was protecting me, giving me the opportunity to find my way back to Him…which I did, by His merciful grace!
 
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