I am confused about prayers and life

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mecmk

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Hi, I am 17 years old and have been a catholic since I was a baby. However, lately I have been confused with certain issues which was why I turned to this forum for help.
Lately I have been thinking of why do we pray for certain stuff when we know God will surely do because of his love for us(eg protection, guidance, grace). Im really sorry for feeling this way but aren’t I dishonouring God because of this. I feel that repeatedly asking him for stuff is to a certain sense not having faith in him? I also feel really selfish when asking for stuff like growing taller etc(worldly things)…is it alright for me to ask for things like that even though I know Im unworthy?
Secondly, idk when this happened but I have been having bad thoughts for quite a while, eg I would think ill of someone or that something bad would happen to them but I dont mean it at all. Should I just ignore them?
Also where should I draw the line. I have read that you should draw the line of being kind to people at a certain point to not take advantage of you. Is this the right way to think? Or should I bite the bullet and continue on?
 
mecmk said:
Im really sorry for feeling this way but aren’t I dishonouring God because of this
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You are actually honoring God by turning to Him in prayer because you are showing that you believe He is the source of these good things. However, your prayer should include at least the attitude of “Thy will, not mine, be done.”

Additionally, by telling God your needs and desires, you are getting closer to Him, and He wants that.
mecmk said:
I have been having bad thoughts for quite a while,
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This sounds like a temptation. Sometimes thoughts just drift across our minds. We can either grab onto them and go down that path, or we can let them keep on going.

If you notice that inadvertantly you have been following along and then reject it by gently turning your mind to something else, you have not sinned. When I am bothered by these types of thoughts, I pray, including the St Michael the Archangel prayer until they go away.
mecmk said:
should I bite the bullet and continue on?
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Do not allow other people to sin against you! It is better to be kind and kindness can include not allowing others to sin.

There are stories of saints who have stayed with “toxic people” but we are not to try to do things beyond our strength.
 
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mecmk said:
I have read that you should draw the line of being kind to people at a certain point to not take advantage of you. Is this the right way to think? Or should I bite the bullet and continue on?
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Well, the devil wants you to step on people, but Jesus wants you to allow people to step on you.So… be a Saint, and bite the bullet.

The Bible says pray without ceasing,all prayers are good,and are sorely needed in Heaven right now.
 
We may ask for what we want.
But God will give us what we need.
May God’s will be done. God is great. All praise and glory goes to God! Amen 🙏
 
I was 17 not so long long ago, whats helped me over the years is thanking God before anything else. Thank the Lord for the life we have and for everything he has given us, etc. Even when we dont feel great about ourselves or circumstances, keep giving thanks.

Now about what we’d like, offer it up to God, he will answer if it is just and in his will for you. Before you ask anything of God, pray for others. I remember learning its not bad to pray for oneself and ask God, but to put it at the very end of your prayer. So pray for everyone youd like, family, friends, enemies, etc. At the very end just let the Lord know to “forget me not” and ask him.

Your on the right track, with negative thoughts just swat them to a side mentally, pray for better thoughts and a clear mind.

Remember pray unceasingly, in all circumstances give thanks. Hope I helped at all!
 
While it is easy to ask God for things/help, try to make it a point to thank him for things - even simple things. How about telling him how awesome he is?
 
Praying is how we establish a connection with our Father God. Praying doesn’t always have to be asking to for something God already knows all the time. Often praying is us inviting God to heal us, it is our way of letting him into us. As it is written in the bible, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving , let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6 Nothing can make God happier than when we invite him to work through us. And our eventual goal is to better understand him and his will, to use every request in prayer to better glorify him, and to live in a constant state of prayer, as angels do in heaven.
 
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There are two very good books by Fr Dubay:

The Prayer Primer
Deep Conversion, Deep Prayer

These helped me so much.

Look what Jesus taught us to pray “thy will be done”. Prayer changes us.
 
Jesus said you should ask the Father for whatever you need. Remember the story? If a son asks his dad for an egg to eat, Dad is not going to give him a rock to gnaw on. If you can trust normal human parents to give good things to their kids, how much more can you trust God, Who loves you much more?

Also, I had a friend who thought it was wrong to ever pray for himself, and he ended up going from devout Catholic to neopagan. If you are not honest and open with your Father in heaven, you will not learn to know Him better, and you will tend to stop loving Him.
 
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There’s something ironic about faith… We’re told so many places in life to “go with your gut” or “trust your feelings” — and there’s much truth in it. However, when it comes to the faith, which is often one of the most emotion-filled aspects of our lives, feelings can be particularly deceptive. You have to learn about our faith and our God on a number of levels (which is what I believe you’re trying to do), and then you can learn which feelings to pay attention to and which to ignore or better address in other ways.

Based on your post, I think you’re dealing with some feelings that need to be clarified rather than “followed”.
 
I changed it to all the time. Prayer in supplication with thanksgiving. It’s nice to simply be thankful sometimes.
 
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