Rejecting prayers from people you sooo know are wrong

[Lost_Wanderer]

Hey, I feel like this has been asked before but is it wrong to reject (and even spite) prayers from people you just so strongly know are in the wrong?

For example, if a fundamentalist were to pray for my conversion from Catholicism to his brand of Christianity. Or how about a person praying that I become a priest when I am so dead set against the idea and that there’s already a healthy amount of discernment that I’m not called for it.

 

[Elizabeth502]

LW, there’s no need to worry about any of this. God is Truth. He sees beyond what anyone of us see, but he also reads hearts and converts well meaning intentions to his own good. If it’s not Truthful that you convert away from Catholicism, or become a priest, God will not act on such prayers in the manner intended by those who pray them.

When someone states they’ll pray for me, I tell them I’m immensely grateful and need all the prayers I can get. I don’t go into the specifics of their prayers, even if they state them. Or I’ll restate their specific intentions generally: “Thanks for praying that I get that particular job; I know that with prayer, God will lead me to whatever job he knows I’ll thrive in.” “Thanks for praying for my vocation; I’m sure God will lead me there if he wants me there; he does know better than I whether I have what it takes.”

I thank people for their prayers and tell them, God Bless You.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

LW, there’s no need to worry about any of this. God is Truth. He sees beyond what anyone of us see, but he also reads hearts and converts well meaning intentions to his own good. If it’s not Truthful that you convert away from Catholicism, or become a priest, God will not act on such prayers in the manner intended by those who pray them.

Okay. Truth eh? All right, I’ll keep your words in mind whenever some people think they’re praying I’ll “wake up” to their distorted idea of the Truth.

When someone states they’ll pray for me, I tell them I’m immensely grateful and need all the prayers I can get. I don’t go into the specifics of their prayers, even if they state them. Or I’ll restate their specific intentions generally: “Thanks for praying that I get that particular job; I know that with prayer, God will lead me to whatever job he knows I’ll thrive in.” “Thanks for praying for my vocation; I’m sure God will lead me there if he wants me there; he does know better than I whether I have what it takes.”

I thank people for their prayers and tell them, God Bless You.

Your approach is kind, I’ll give you that. Personally, I find that hard to do though since the people who pull the “I’ll pray for you line” for my conversion always do after I beat them in an argument.

 

[JRKH]

Hey, I feel like this has been asked before but is it wrong to reject (and even spite) prayers from people you just so strongly know are in the wrong?

For example, if a fundamentalist were to pray for my conversion from Catholicism to his brand of Christianity. Or how about a person praying that I become a priest when I am so dead set against the idea and that there’s already a healthy amount of discernment that I’m not called for it.

Rather than “reject” their prayers, trust God to turn said prayers to Good use in you rspiritual life. For instance, prayer for “conversion” can be turned into a deepeing understanding of your faith and apologetics. Prayer that you become a priest might be turned into a deepening of your Spiritual life.
He might even use these prayers, along with yours for them, to give them the grace to “wake up” and converto to Catholicism.

The Father knows what you need, and will supply it. No need to worry about what others are praying for.

peace
James

 

[I_Fortuna]

I know how you feel. The “I’ll pray for you.” line totally gets under my skin especially when it is used as emotional blackmail or to prop up a person’s side of a debate. People from my former church pray for me but I know the power of their pray in relation to my own and my new church, the Catholic Church so it doesn’t bother me. They also know in what areas I need prayer.

God does know what is best and will guide you to it. I would not be concerned about this other than in some cases when not requested it is a presumptuous act on the person’s part that is saying it. If that person is in difficulty then I ask, “Would you like me to pray for you or with you?” I don’t presume they would like my prayers until I establish their agreement and acceptance.

As we have no control over some people’s perception of us and what they will say to us, we can set boundares. My answer is sometimes, “I prefer you didn’t, thank you though.” or “I will ask for the intercession of Mary and the Saints, thank you anyway.” or if I don’t mind if they pray for me, I simply say “Thank you.”

I feel it is important to be polite *and *truthful.

My best regards to you.

 

[ElizabethPH]

Okay. Truth eh? All right, I’ll keep your words in mind whenever some people think they’re praying I’ll “wake up” to their distorted idea of the Truth.

Your approach is kind, I’ll give you that. Personally, I find that hard to do though since the people who pull the “I’ll pray for you line” for my conversion always do after I beat them in an argument.

I would simply thank them and say that I will be praying for their conversion as well.

 

[Elizabeth502]

This is just a matter of discretion (choice), but personally I would never tell a person who states that they’ll pray for me, that “I wish they wouldn’t.” Even if they’ve been arguing with me, trying to “prove me wrong,” etc. Rather, again, I would thank them for their well-meaning prayers. When people are given the benefit of the doubt, that tends to convert hearts (and intentions) more swiftly than if we seem to them to be putting obstacles to those intentions.

Again, this is a matter – as I said in my first post – of trusting God. Hey, how many times have each of us prayed for something that at the time we were personally convinced that we needed and were justified in praying for? Yet many of those prayers were answered differently than we could have predicted. Often, initially, it appeared that God was “answering” quite the opposite of our petitions, yet using pathways to answer our prayers more fully, more compassionately, more wisely than we in our puny, non-cosmic views can comprehend. Or, he nudged us gently or forcefully toward a different, more enlightened conscious intention, by showing us graphically how our original thought was not beneficial to us (or someone else) after all.

In fact, anyone declaring that they’ll pray for us is opening themselves up to the designs of God. If the prayer is non-authentic, God’s not listening. If that heart is authentic, God will change that heart – soon, or later.

 

[puzzleannie]

Hey, I feel like this has been asked before but is it wrong to reject (and even spite) prayers from people you just so strongly know are in the wrong?

For example, if a fundamentalist were to pray for my conversion from Catholicism to his brand of Christianity. Or how about a person praying that I become a priest when I am so dead set against the idea and that there’s already a healthy amount of discernment that I’m not called for it.

don’t you think God hears prayers in the spirit in which they were offered, and knows what is best for everyone, and answers those prayers by guiding us toward conformity to his will? do you really think prayer is telling God what he should do? I think we can safely trust that no matter what someone says when they pray sincerely for our welfare, God hears the intent and the love that is there, and does not take orders from us, no matter how well-meaning.

when someone offers to pray for you, just say thank you, and accept it as you would “have a nice day” even when your day is going rotten

 

[angelic06]

Hey, I feel like this has been asked before but is it wrong to reject (and even spite) prayers from people you just so strongly know are in the wrong?

For example, if a fundamentalist were to pray for my conversion from Catholicism to his brand of Christianity. Or how about a person praying that I become a priest when I am so dead set against the idea and that there’s already a healthy amount of discernment that I’m not called for it.

Don’t forget that God can re-route prayers so that they are in conformity with His will—
say for the above examples, if a fundamentalist prays for your conversion from the Catholic Church, he or she might really be praying for his or her conversion to the Holy Church, that said person might grow in faith and charity towards the Church and into full communion with us and so that they may eventually be able to receive the Body and Blood of or Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion (there is a reason that this word is used for both our unity with the Church and with God as well as the Eucharist—the Eucharist is, according to the popes and saints, the “Sacrament of Unity”). And if somebody prays that you might become a priest and that is not what He wants of you, he or she might really be praying that you may be led to your true vocation, whether it be to the perpetual single state, the consecrated life, or to Holy Matrimony. Anyway, in either case, don’t let the prayers disturb you, but in the first, if you are comfortable and knowledgeable, you might use this as an opportunity to engage in some apologetics, always, of course, with charity as well as truth.

Paul R. Viola

 

[Monica4316]

I’ve thought about this too… I’ve had people pray that I leave Catholicism… the way I see it, God won’t answer anything that’s not in His will, but because their intention is good, He can use the prayers to help me in other ways and I’m sure I have need of all the prayers I can get!

 

[cctabb]

I agree with the others. Just because one prays for something does not mean that prayer will be answered in the affirmative. I seriously doubt that God will shoo you toward Protestantism. And if He doesn’t want you to be a priest then you won’t be.

A nicely delivered, “Thank you for praying in my behalf,” is an appropriate response.