Been praying for years but nothing is happening

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frankiejen

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Brothers and sisters,

I have been praying for years for my loved one and his family to become Catholic. I have prayed the green scapular prayer, the Conversion prayer Jesus gave to St. Faustina, countless novenas, countless masses, countless rosaries, countless offer ups, etc. I feel that they have not budged one bit and I’m beginning to feel the relationship with them slip away. I’m very confused and scared, I don’t want this relationship to slip away, and I’m very discouraged with their spiritual conversions. I feel that I’ve been praying so long and have seen no change, and I know to persist and prayer and be patient, but the relationship is slipping away and it’s scaring me. Please brothers and sister, if you have an advice or words of wisdom let me know, and if you wouldn’t mind praying for these lost souls and myself I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you
 
Prayer is not a magic wand, resulting in “Poof” your prayer is answered.

How long did St. Monica pray for the conversion of Augustine?

You are worried because you have seen no change? I think the efficacy of conversion is judged by the Lord, and not whether it satisfies our ideals.

Hope you find peace, and continue to pray!
 
You can pray all you want (and you should) but eventually they will have to cooperate with the Grace given to them. It must be an act of free will.
 
Could you give us a little more information? Are these persons of faith already or completely secular or?
 
They come from a long line of faithful families, mainly Catholic and Lutheran, but the mom and the dad chose not to religious anymore even though they were raised with faith, and to raise their now adult sons non-religious. They have conservative views at times, but generally choose not to bother themselves with even thinking about controversial topics. It’s almost like the view the whole idea of “religion” as a horrible thing that is a waste of time and is nonsense. Thank you for your response
 
I am spending my life too, making “useless” prayers for the conversion of some of my family members.

But I know that the Lord is close to me, and that I must trust that no prayer is wasted.

If at the end of their lives, these people “just” were saved instead of getting lost, would that be a small thing?

No, it would be infinite! 🙂
 
@frankiejen, I remember your threads. Try to see things differently. Your prayers were not wasted, and they were not for nothing. It may be that it will take longer, or it may be that it just isn’t going to happen. I know God has heard your heartfelt prayers. Perhaps you should pray for acceptance of God’s will, whatever that may be. Trust him that he knows what he is doing.

Unfortunately, the people you are praying for are not moved. It sounds like you have to make a choice. Accept them as they are, or move on.
 
Ok. So I often think our prayer should be that God’s will be done in their life. I often think people are on a journey. I know some persons of faith who are very loving, volunteer frequently, are really living out the gospels even if they aren’t Catholics specifically. I’m clearly a catholic and a fan 😁, but maybe God wants them where He wants them.

So my thought would be continue praying for these people… you don’t have to go crazy. But pray that Gods will be done in their lives. Then just be a good joyful witness, and make sure to live out your faith life. Once you’ve prayed, done your part, then leave worrying to God, He knows what He’s doing.

Best regards and thanks for caring about your family enough to pray for them.
 
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Prayers are never wasted and God provides graces to the people we pray for. On the other hand God doesn’t force anybody in loving Him so It is up to the person you are praying for how to respond to the grace.
Also, as somebody married with an atheist, I think going into a relationship with the expectation to convert your partner is recipe for disaster. Keep praying but think also if you are ready to live your entire life and to build your family with somebody that doesn’t share such an important part of your identity.
 
Let your light shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

keep praying, realize your family had free will, and be so joyful and peaceful that your family wants to know your secret.
 
When you pray, add ‘Lord, grant us what you will, as much as you will, when you will’.
 
For perseverance:

Dear St Monica,
troubled wife and mother,
many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime.
Yet, you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence, and profound faith,
you prayed daily for the conversion
of your beloved husband, Patricius,
and your beloved son, Augustine;

your prayers were answered.
Grant me that same fortitude, patience,
and trust in the Lord.

Intercede for me, dear St. Monica,
that God may favourably hear my plea.
 
St Ambrose, so the story goes, saw her praying for (and crying over) her wayward son, and said “such prayers and tears will surely not be in vain”.

Her son did convert and become a great saint and Doctor of the Church. I think maybe he would not have been so great of he had not had those decades in the wilderness first. Rather like the people of Israel who wandered for 40 years.

Wherever they are at spiritually, God can use them or change them. However, He works in His time and not yours. Which sometimes (as the devout Jews of the OT found when praying for the promised Messiah) involves centuries, not just years or decades.
 
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Read Isaiah 55 - these verses particularly. God promised that his word will not return to him void - we may never know the results of our prayers, but we must persist.

9 For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.

10 And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it.
 
  1. I’m happy to pray for you and your loved one.
  2. Not sure what kind of “relationship” this is that would “slip away”. If this is a significant other or a close friend, and you’ve been at it for years and they won’t convert, then maybe it’s time to let them go because this is causing you to be “discouraged”. You can still pray for them from a distance, even if you don’t continue to be their friend or relationship partner. If they are a relative, then you’ll always have some relationship with them, even if the difference in your faiths causes a rift.
  3. It may very well be that you pray for this person up until you die and the person only converts after you’re gone. Or that they die without ever converting, in which case you’ll have to continue the prayers for their soul. We don’t always get to see the fruits of our prayers for conversions on this earth.
 
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Firstly I’m sorry your family has drifted away and I will pray for them,please pray some of mine come back to the faith.
It might not be in our lifetime that prayers come to fruition,you might not see the results of your prayers…and also it might be in their last moments of life that they have a change of heart .
Ithink of my mother praying for family all of her life ,her mother asking her to pray for lapsed siblings …
of course it is stressful and worrying at times ,but we have to trust God in that ,give those things to Him and know our prayers are so very valuable.
 
Consider praying for their salvation too. Ask others to pray for their conversion and salvation.
You may not get to see the fruit of your prayers in this life. Maybe in death you learn/see that your prayers for their souls helped them to go to purgatory and not hell.
 
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