Is it okay to pray for things you want?

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LovelyLadybug

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I know it’s good to pray for the things you need and for the good of others. Every day, I pray for the conversion of non-Catholics, to end abortion, for the homeless, etc… And that’s good. But is it also ok to pray for things that you just want and aren’t very important? For example, praying that I win the lottery or praying that I win a competition. I read somewhere that this is called “selfish prayer” I also know that God said he would always answer our prayers - just not always in the way we expect him to. What an amazing promise!!! I don’t want to be selfish with prayer, but, at the same time, there are lots of things I want which I know God can help me get. Those things aren’t bad. They just aren’t really nesscecary. Any thoughts on this? Thank You!!! 🙂
 
Well I don’t think you should be praying to win the lottery. I also don’t think it is wise to play the lottery. I believe we are supposed to be wise with the gifts we are blessed with and any form of gambling is not wise. Otherwise to pray for a new car or house would depend on your motives. I would caution you about the desires of the flesh.
 
I don’t do the lottery. That was just a random example, lol!!! 🙂
 
That’s good, because no way is God going to let you win if you didn’t even bother to buy a ticket! 😉
 
Personally, I don’t think that’s what we’re supposed to do, but I’m sure it is not sinful. I prefer to pray to know God’s will in my life and that God’s will is done
 
I don’t think you can go wrong with praying, really. If you want it, then you want it, and just letting God know you want it through prayer can’t do any harm. It might be more pious to not want any more worldly things than necessary, but most of us just aren’t at that level spiritually. And that’s okay, it’s not a sin to want reasonable things like winning the lottery. Still, if you’re going to ask God to let you win the lottery it would be a good idea to also ask for that bit of extra piety while you’re at it.
 
Wasn’t this qualified by good gifts? I’m assuming spiritually good gifts would be an apt translation?

Edit: sorry to elaborate, I’m thinking you could pray for those things but it’s unlikely God will give them
…unless it’s for spiritual benefit
 
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I say yes! Because I think sometimes what we call selfish prayer is the most honest, pure prayer. Sometimes in our “selfless” prayer about big, overarching good moral things, though these are good to pray for, we are kind of presenting our good side while ignoring our little human side that wishes for little things. We try to hide it and put it aside in prayer, or at least I’ve done so.

I wonder if sometimes I am really deep down concerned that God doesn’t care enough to listen to little everyday prayers, or I doubted He’ll answer them so I don’t bother asking. But nothing escapes God’s sight, I mean He said He counts the hairs on my head so I’m trying not to be afraid to ask for little things!

I ask my guardian angel sometimes to make sure I wake up on time because I darn well sleep in too much. Lo and behold, I awake 5 minutes before my alarm the next day, and I realized I forgot to set my alarm so 1 point for angel, 0 for me XD. Or I’ll ask my angel to help me remember something later, and I always somehow remember it! I’ve also prayed to Jesus to let us catch the ferry off the island on time, and we always do, even though we have five minutes to spare. Or to help me have patience with my family, because “Lord they are seriously annoying me right now, and if you don’t help me I know I have absolutely no strength on my own to resist getting angry!” Little, human things.

More seriously, the most heartfelt prayer I ever had was also the most honest. I cried out “here I am, in all my brokenness and weakness. I don’t understand it, but you love me so help me to believe that you do. My head understands, but my heart has not felt it, or doesn’t believe it. Show me your love!” Friend, He answered me perfectly when the verses for the hymn at the mass that happened to be that day played. “For her love He suffered, for her life he died.”

God may not answer always, or He may answer unexpectedly, but always believe He hears you 🙂 I always make sure to add on that if this isn’t from the Lord’s will, then take that particular impulse to prayer away. God is good.
 
Star_Orbiter said:
I wonder if sometimes I am really deep down concerned that God doesn’t care enough to listen to little everyday prayers, or I doubted He’ll answer them so I don’t bother asking. But nothing escapes God’s sight, I mean He said He counts the hairs on my head so I’m trying not to be afraid to ask for little things!
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I think a lot of people seem to struggle with the thought that God can express care and concern for us in the mundane, everyday things. He is Lord of all, not jut Lord of “super big, important things.” There is nothing we cannot bring to God in prayer.

Certainly we want to make every prayer in humble submission to His will for us and take care that we are not being worldly and selfish. But it doesn’t mean we cannot pray for things for ourselves except in dire emergency.
Star_Orbiter said:
I ask my guardian angel sometimes to make sure I wake up on time because I darn well sleep in too much.
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I do this, too. 🙂 My guardian angel always comes through. I am a sound sleeper and have slept through alarms more than once—especially if I’m going on not that much sleep. My guardian angel always comes through. Of course, he already works overtime protecting me from my clumsy nature.
 
You can, but I would say keep it to as rarely as possible. My opinion.
 
LovelyLadybug said:
praying that I win the lottery
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You can pray for financial help. I did this once when my energy supplier made a mistake and I owed them money I didn’t have. After I prayed some director phoned me out of the blue and asked me how much could I afford to pay back per month.
 
I prayed for financial help one and God answered my prayer!!! 🙂
 
It can be permissible, so long as it’s within the boundaries that God has set forth. For example, I cannot pray for God to find me a homosexual lover, because the Bible prohibits that sort of thing. However, if what you’re praying for is something that obviously God approves of, it is OK, in my opinion.

I’ve been reading through 1 & 2 Chronicles recently and within it there is an account in which God told Solomon that He would give him anything he wanted. Solomon asked for wisdom and God thoroughly approved of it. God didn’t have to give Solomon wisdom, but it was something that he desired, so God gave it to him. Not only did God give him wisdom, but He also gave him a palace, the likes of which were beyond anything there ever was and everything there ever will be.

To make a long story short, God approved of Solomon’s prayer and He even made others wish to hear his wisdom; people from other nations came to hear his wisdom. So yes, I believe it is permissible to pray for something you want.
 
Of course, you can ask God for anything you want. Whether he grants it or not is up to Him.
 
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