Mark 11:24 on Prayer

[YoungCatholic01]

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" are the words of Jesus Christ in the gospel according to Mark, 11:24.

I have trouble understanding this. I have heard it said that God will only give us things that are in line with his will, but according to this passage, and others, whatever you ask in prayer will be given to us (provided there is faith).

This seems to be contrdictory:

1. Whatever we ask of God in faith will be given to us.
2. We will only be given what is in line with God’s will.

Does anyone have an answer to this?

 

[veritatisstella]

I think “whatever you ask for” admits of that exception. Christ is not making a rash promise where he will literally grant any and every silly request. I think though that he will answer any prayer made in good faith and give the petitioner what is asked for (but sometimes in a far from literal sense or in a way the petitioner does not expect).

 

[Seagull]

I think more of the Book of James - something like…
You do not receive - because you do not ask -
And if you do ask - you ask amiss -
for something to suit your OWN pleasure -

 

[Cachonga]

I notice it says, “believe that you have received it”. This was a key verse for the “name it and claim it” fad of the 80’s (even up to today). That kind of prayer makes James 4:2-3 seem extremely relevant (“You covet, and have not: you kill, and envy, and can not obtain. You contend and war, and you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not; because you ask amiss: that you may consume it on your concupiscences.” - DR). I have found it helpful to think of a father/child relationship (even Jesus used this kind of example - see Luke 11:11-13). If God is my Father, then I’m His child. If your child asks for a cookie while dinner is being prepared, a good parent will say, “No”, but if a child asks for a drink of water while playing on a hot summer day, the answer will be “Yes”. Why? Because the parent knows what the child needs. It helps to remember to pray, “… Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”. Even Jesus prayed, "… yet not as I will, but as You will.? (see Mt 26:39). There is no contradiction,!

 

[jcrichton]

Hi!

Consider the power of money… there are many people who abuse it; some have such abundance that they come to believe that they are better than the rest (they live their lives oppressing others and exploiting everything an anything–to the extent of self-destruction). Then there are those who wanting it would do anything including sacrificing human dignity, life, their children, their parents… everything and everyone around them. In the end both the have and not are not truly happy as their whole existence deals with wealth rather than with human dignity and value.

Imagine the power of Omnipotence at our finger tips… when will enough be enough? …when would self-control be exercised when all one had to do was petition this or that?

Two teams on the field: both pray to that God grant them the win–simple right? One team has to lose. What happens when team “A” and all its fans and supporters lose to team “B?”

This encounter took place long ago: Cain killed his brother because God found Abel’s Gift more pleasing.

So team “A” and all its followers would gripe against God, hate team “B” and all its followers, and blame God for choosing “B” over them.

So God made the Gift of Granting Prayer easy: whatever is God’s Will–so even the worst of experiences, when we live them in Christ, God is able to use it to benefit mankind and His Salvific Plan.

Consider the 10 Commandments; if humanity were able to Love God above all and their neighbor as themselves, would the whole world not benefit from all the richness found in the world? Wouldn’t everyone not end up in Heaven?

Sadly we operate differently:

3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (St. James 4)

I urge you to read the whole of St. James–it’s quite short, may take only a few hours of detailed reading/study.

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[Dan_Defender]

I do not see a contradiction. Whoever is in a sate of grace will pray for what is good and that will be in line with God’s will. Consider the lives of the saints. They prayed and miracles happened.

 

[EvangelistVictor]

Jesus is teaching about faith and having faith in prayer. He’s no genie in a bottle either. The basics for prayer are in our Lords prayer where he taught us how to pray.

 

[Nita]

Here are some Scripture passages that also apply to having prayers answered:

1 John 3:22 and we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him.

1 John 5:14 An this is the confidence which we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we as, we now that we have obtained the requests of Him.