Answered prayers?

[Trebor135]

Hi all,

There’s one issue that’s been bothering me for a long time and I’ve never found a satisfactory answer to.

When we ourselves or someone we’re concerned about would benefit from divine assistance, four possible scenarios come to mind:

1. We pray, and the situation improves.
2. We pray, and the situation doesn’t change.
3. We don’t pray, and the situation improves.
4. We don’t pray, and the situation doesn’t change.

In this thread I asked CAF members to pray about a medical problem of mine that I’ve been asking to be cured. It indirectly causes me to get to bed later than I should, meaning that–because of my two early-morning classes this semester–I’m feeling tired a lot, have gotten a cold three times in the past five weeks, and am not as on the ball as I should be.

It’s helpful that I have a light semester this time around, but I can’t keep living like this, especially if I want to work a nine-to-five job and maybe run a household in the future. My condition isn’t as debilitating as it could be, but I’m still feeling frustrated. Our prayers aren’t being answered. The medication isn’t working, at least so far (perhaps I should give it more time, since I took one of the things prescribed for just over a week, gave up, and resumed under a week ago).

So, why bother praying?

How can we know that, even if I experience some kind of breakthrough, it was because of the prayers and not the medication, or vice-versa?

How can we ascertain whether any of the good things that we believe were granted to us or to others by making requests to Christ–or, indirectly, the mother of God or saints–are not simply a series of lucky coincidences?

 

[silver2soul]

We do not have the understanding nor the wisdom to fathom the grand designs of the heavenly father, but we should look to him through prayer in the name his son JESUS for discernment and help to resolve our problems and most importantly that of others.

We need to recognize that some of us are weaker and we are no less than others in the eyes of GOD. We seek him and reach out to him when we are distressed and sometimes…

**Romans 9:10-20

New International Version (NIV)**

10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”[a] 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”*

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion**.”

16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”[d] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[e]

The greatest of us sometimes the weakest; while the weakest of us sometimes is the strongest.

Praise be to GOD the heavenly father and his son lord JESUS CHRIST forever>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>*

 

[Phalanx]

So, why bother praying?

How can we know that, even if I experience some kind of breakthrough, it was because of the prayers and not the medication, or vice-versa?

How can we ascertain whether any of the good things that we believe were granted to us or to others by making requests to Christ–or, indirectly, the mother of God or saints–are not simply a series of lucky coincidences?

Does it REALLY matter?

Prayer strengthens your hopes and faith. Gives you the will to figth and eases stress due to confidence in our lords will aswell as the angels presence. Even if your condition would get worse it is worth it to pray. You can’t expect things to just get “granted”.

Im not an expert on this mind you. Im just a average dude who hasn’t even read the whole bible This is just me sharing my opinion but, i believe that if one prays hard and sincere enough, our lord will nudge “fate” in our favour abit, even if ever so slightly.

There is NO downside of prayer, keep strong

Blessing to you

 

[georget]

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but it almost seems as if you’re testing God, then again maybe He’s testing you. I will say a prayer for you, and I hope your health improves.
God bless you

 

[acadiANNA]

I know what you are saying. It seems that prayer is not always answered. Sometimes no answer is the answer. God sees the whole picture, we do not. He has a timeline. You have to believe and pray unceasingly. You have to trust in God. Have no doubt that God is working in your life whether you see it or not. He wants what is best for you. Cooperate with Him. Have you made a good confession? Are you staying in the state of grace? I recently lost a cousin to lung cancer. He caused the lung cancer because he was a chain smoker. It was his choice not God’s. I am only mentioning that because God wants us to be responsible with the life he has given us. Seek help from professionals if need be. Make an appointment and speak to a Priest. We are each responsible to take care of our own physical and spiritual help. Jesus healed many and most of them it was their faith that healed them. I may be off the main question and apologize if anything offends. God bless and I will be praying for you.

 

[Trebor135]

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but it almost seems as if you’re testing God, then again maybe He’s testing you.

No worries. Apart from one or two instances which come to mind, I don’t believe I’ve tested God. My requests have just about always been of the supplicating “* heal me” kind, not the “do what I’m asking, [or else]” variety.

The situation I’m facing simply underscores the “How can we tell if/when prayers are answered?” question that I’ve been wondering about for a fairly long while now.

I will say a prayer for you, and I hope your health improves.
God bless you

Thanks. And same to you. *

 

[Trebor135]

Does it REALLY matter?

This issue matters because, if our personal God of Christianity is real, we have to find some way of giving evidence for it, with consistent prayer results being a promising line of argument. I’d like to have the degree of confidence which Glenn Miller does (the below excerpt is taken from “Various topics about my beliefs…” over at the Christian ThinkTank):

–what would you do if you became convinced that you were mistaken on the issue of whether a god exists? I’m not talking about momentary doubts, but a situation wherein you thought about the matter for several months, and after that time found yourself more clearly convinced than ever that you had been wrong – what then?

Prayer strengthens your hopes and faith. Gives you the will to figth and eases stress due to confidence in our lords will aswell as the angels presence. Even if your condition would get worse it is worth it to pray. You can’t expect things to just get “granted”.

I know that God isn’t to be regarded as a vending machine. He may desire that I continue on with this condition for some reason unknown to me. It’s simply discouraging to think, “What if praying is actually pointless and doesn’t achieve anything?”

Im not an expert on this mind you. Im just a average dude who hasn’t even read the whole bible This is just me sharing my opinion but, i believe that if one prays hard and sincere enough, our lord will nudge “fate” in our favour abit, even if ever so slightly.

There is NO downside of prayer, keep strong

Blessing to you

Well, thanks for the feedback and the support. I’ll keep hammering away at it; you may be right that perseverance could bring me through. The parable about the unjust judge has come to mind at least once or twice already.*​

 

[Trebor135]

I know what you are saying. It seems that prayer is not always answered. Sometimes no answer is the answer. God sees the whole picture, we do not. He has a timeline. You have to believe and pray unceasingly. You have to trust in God. Have no doubt that God is working in your life whether you see it or not. He wants what is best for you. Cooperate with Him.

I understand. God’s ways are not our ways. Who knows what unexpected good may come of this less-than-ideal situation? I simply find it frustrating that we can’t get a 404-style error message after we pray something not in God’s will as we can expect to do after clicking a broken link on the Internet.

Have you made a good confession? Are you staying in the state of grace?

I’m hoping to go to confession in the next month or so, depending on when my Eastern Orthodox chrismation will be. And let me just say that it’s something I definitely need to do.

I recently lost a cousin to lung cancer. He caused the lung cancer because he was a chain smoker. It was his choice not God’s. I am only mentioning that because God wants us to be responsible with the life he has given us. Seek help from professionals if need be.

When I saw our family doctor about my condition and asked about whether to avoid red meat/dairy/etc., he didn’t say any dietary changes were in order. I’ll get another appointment scheduled with him though and find out whether I might be contributing to my own condition inadvertently.

Make an appointment and speak to a Priest.

I’ll talk to my pastor about this situation. That lengthy confession approaching should provide a suitable opportunity.

We are each responsible to take care of our own physical and spiritual help.

Right.

Jesus healed many and most of them it was their faith that healed them.

And if not, someone in their family or among their friends. It’s so much easier to feel like one has a strong faith when the ultimate physician is physically present.

I may be off the main question and apologize if anything offends. God bless and I will be praying for you.

No worries. And thanks for your prayers.