Prayer changes me?

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Genevieve_II

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Hi, Looking for some insight after reading the article below:

catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1401368.htm

I was raised Catholic and prayer has always been an important part of my life. However, when I read the article, I got stuck on the part where Pope Francis states that prayer did not change God, but it changed Moses. If prayer doesn’t change God, why pray? Can we just sit down and brainstorm solutions to our problems? What’s the difference between holding God to His Promise and positive thinking? I’ve often felt that my prayers have fallen on deaf ears. If this part about prayer not changing God is correct, then maybe I’m right. If prayer changes us and not God, why pray for others? It isn’t going to help them, it’s only going to benefit me!

I don’t mean to to sound negative. I do believe that the Holy Spirit changes and invigorates my heart and I am truly grateful for the graces that I receive. However, I’m not convinced that this is brought about by my prayer life. So, I’m just looking for advice on how to pray and really feel that it makes a difference. Thanks, in advance, for any insight that you can provide. 🙂
 
Well, I can only speak for myself (and I’ll warn you I’m a Protestant, but looking into the Catholic Church), but prayer changes me because:

I realize that I, little old me, can speak directly to God and that He listens and hears. It helps me to realize His omniscience and His love towards His people. It changes me because I realize how much I matter to Him.

It allows me to be a part of His great work on earth in His Church. When I pray for people and those prayers are answered, I feel like I am a part of that! That is a wonderful work to be a part of, don’t you think? It brings a smile to my face typing it! It increases my faith to see those things happening. Think of the nuns who were praying for their fellow sister with Parkinson’s and asking Blessed John Paul II for his intercession. She was healed!! If you were part of that, how would that change you? Wouldn’t your faith be greatly increased, your feeling of well-being that the God of all the universe answered your prayer?

It changes me because I realize that I cannot “do life” on my own. I need Him. It breeds a greater humility in me. It reminds me continually of my dependence upon Him. When I bring to mind how He has helped me in the past, or indeed even the saints of old, then once again my faith and security is increased.

So how about you? Do you think prayer has changed you now?
 
Genevieve_II said:
Hi, Looking for some insight after reading the article below:

catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1401368.htm

I was raised Catholic and prayer has always been an important part of my life. However, when I read the article, I got stuck on the part where Pope Francis states that prayer did not change God, but it changed Moses.
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I don’t understand his meaning that Moses changed. In what way?

This reminded me of another prayer warrior who negotiated with God. (Gen. 18:32)

Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?” And the LORD replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

Abraham started his questioning with 40, and kept reducing the number down to ten. In the end, however, God destroyed Sodom, since the only righteous person therein was Lot (one person).

Remember the incident with Job? God instructed him to intercede for his wrongful friends and God would hear his prayer. (Job 42:7-8)
  1. And after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger blazes against you and your two friends You have not spoken rightly concerning me, as has my servant Job. 8. So now take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves, and let my servant Job pray for you.** To him I will show favor**, and not punish your folly, for you have not spoken rightly concerning me, as has my servant Job.”
Sometimes, delays in granting our prayers truly does change “us.” It works patience, humility, resignation to God’s will despite receiving no answer, etc. I had experienced a two-year legal battle concerning my home from a family member who sued me for half. When I fully submitted in resignation to God’s providence in the matter, and believed the situation was hopeless, the entire situation turned around for me in a way that caused me to say, as in Ps. 126, “When the Lord delivered the captives of Sion, we were like men dreaming! Then our mouths were filled with laughter - our tongues sang for joy.” In other words, God changed me during the waiting period. 😉
 
Prayer changes us because it draws us out of ourselves and toward God. If we brainstorm to solve our problems we may get a temporary worldly “solution”, but at the risk of elevating the false self (ego) that is separate from God.
 
God is constant and stable. We are not. None of our prayers should be about changing God, but more in line with accepting His Will not our own. It is through prayer and the resulting answers that we change.

I think folks get to tied up with the idea that God should always say “yes” to us. He does not. Sometimes the answer is “no.” Here is a personal example of a big NO. I was trying to get into the Navy. I had my BA in Biology, I had gone through all the testing and interviews. All that was left was passing the physical. Well, I failed the physical. They discovered a problem that indicated I was at risk for heart and kidney failure.

Now that is a whopping NO. I was angry, sad and disappointed. I had to find a job, wanted to move out on my own and now I was dealing with possible serious illness. It took a few months for things to come together and for me to realize God had a better plan. I was very ill, and had I gone to boot camp I more than likely would have had a heart attack and died due to the physical demands. I also would have landed up being involved in genetic engineering that would have put me in direct conflict with God and the Church.

God saved my life and my soul. I learned about being more patient, trusting God and having a wider and more open perspective on life. God stayed the same. I changed.
 
Here is a passage about the approved apparition of Our Lady of Pontmain (1871), which should help you.

"A white scroll appeared under the Lady’s feet and words of gold started to form on them: “But pray, my children”. In the next phrase, a larger cross appeared in her hands and a banner with the name of Christ hung from it. Yet another sentence appeared on the scroll: “God will soon grant your request.” In the final phrase, a third sentence appeared on the scroll, “My Son allows himself to be moved.” (emphasis mine)

Seeing our Lord Jesus Christ “allows Himself to be moved,” we can trust that our prayers not only move ourselves, but have the ability to move our Lord. Clearly, we should not feel that our prayers will only move us and not move God. God bless you.
 
Is ‘move’ the same as ‘change’, though? I’ve always thought of prayer as me conforming my will to what God wills in my world. But, as a two way thing, which I am reassured it is, it makes sense that my petitions and heart-pourings would touch the heart of the One who loves me.
 
If you read on in the article, Pope Francis states that prayer should be a heartfelt “real fight with God”, a negotiation. If this is how I should be praying, I’m just looking for the rationale. I guess in my mind, I consider arguing with the God who created me and the entire universe, a bit disrespectful.

Thanks to all who have replied to this thread so far. I really do appreciate that you took the time to help me with my prayer challenges. God’s Blessings to All! 🙂
 
Eruvande said:
Is ‘move’ the same as ‘change’, though? I’ve always thought of prayer as me conforming my will to what God wills in my world. But, as a two way thing, which I am reassured it is, it makes sense that my petitions and heart-pourings would touch the heart of the One who loves me.
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When we pray, we should always end it with "however not my will, Lord, but Thine be done. Once there was a holy woman (or a saint – I can’t remember which) who fervently asked God to heal her of a terrible sickness she suffered from. He answered her prayer and healed her of the sickness. Then she prayed to Him that if it would be better for her soul that her sickness return to her, then to let it return. God immediately sent back the woman’s sickness to her. This story tells me that though God’s Will is always what will happen, He does actively respond to our specific prayers. God bless you.
 
ready said:
When we pray, we should always end it with "however not my will, Lord, but Thine be done. Once there was a holy woman (or a saint – I can’t remember which) who fervently asked God to heal her of a terrible sickness she suffered from. He answered her prayer and healed her of the sickness. Then she prayed to Him that if it would be better for her soul that her sickness return to her, then to let it return. God immediately sent back the woman’s sickness to her. This story tells me that though God’s Will is always what will happen, He does actively respond to our specific prayers. God bless you.
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EDIT:

Your heart-felt prayers and your penances indeed do touch our Lord and move Him. He is both God and man and is moved by our love, sacrifice and our heartfelt prayers. If we cooperate with God He will be moved to keep from chastising us; if we don’t cooperate, He will be moved to chastise us. Mary, as powerful as she is at staying the Hand of God from chastising us, may one day be forced to see God chastise us in his righteous wrath. How we respond to God can move Him to chastise us or to keep Himself from chastising us. If we don’t do penance as our Lady has requested, God will one day be moved to respond in a most terrible way. God bless you.
 
I meant to say this: " …nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done."
 
Does prayer change God?

In many cases, prayer is necessary for God’s will coming through. It is not that we can twist God’s arm and make him change his mind. It is that God wants us to be his co-workers to make his will a reality. From the very beginning God wanted men to govern the earth. God wants human participation and cooperation in many things. That’s why we must pray. We are talking about petition and intercessory prayers here.

We have heard desperate situations were turned around after many intercessory prayers. This is not because the “prayers in agreement” changed God’s mind. This is because the “prayers in agreement” helped fulfill God’s will.

I see our prayers are dropping into a bowl in front the Throne. If what we ask for is in line with God’s will, then when that bowl is full our request will come true; if the bowl is not full yet, God may answer “wait”. If our request is not God’s will then the answer will be “No”.

God works with each of us according to our best interest and according to the way he knows us. He may want to see more patience, more trust, more humility, more obedience, more charity toward others ……. We never know how and when God will answer our prayers; that’s why we must pray with faith and pray without ceasing. We also seek intercessions from Saints because they are closer to God and their prayers are more powerful; they know how to pray according to God’s will.

I hope these thoughts make some sense.
 
InLight247 said:
Does prayer change God?

In many cases, prayer is necessary for God’s will coming through. It is not that we can twist God’s arm and make him change his mind. It is that God wants us to be his co-workers to make his will a reality. From the very beginning God wanted men to govern the earth. God wants human participation and cooperation in many things. That’s why we must pray. We are talking about petition and intercessory prayers here.

We have heard desperate situations were turned around after many intercessory prayers. This is not because the “prayers in agreement” changed God’s mind. This is because the “prayers in agreement” helped fulfill God’s will.

I see our prayers are dropping into a bowl in front the Throne. If what we ask for is in line with God’s will, then when that bowl is full our request will come true; if the bowl is not full yet, God may answer “wait”. If our request is not God’s will then the answer will be “No”.

God works with each of us according to our best interest and according to the way he knows us. He may want to see more patience, more trust, more humility, more obedience, more charity toward others ……. We never know how and when God will answer our prayers; that’s why we must pray with faith and pray without ceasing. We also seek intercessions from Saints because they are closer to God and their prayers are more powerful; they know how to pray according to God’s will.

I hope these thoughts make some sense.
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They make sense to me. God bless you.
 
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