The futility of prayer

  • Thread starter Thread starter dang71
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Matthew 6:5 And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret, and thy father who seeth in secret will repay thee. 7 And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. 8 Be not you therefore like to them for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him. 9 Thus therefore shall you pray:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Go to the closet / chamber / room. Get alone with your Creator. Shut all the other things out of your life. Pull the drapes, the curtains, the blinds. Turn off the tv, radio. Light a candle. Sit a few moments, slow down your breathing. Turn off the day. Focus on God. Maybe a moment in the life of Jesus. The Garden of Gesthemene works. Invision Jesus, on His knees, praying to the Father, in perfect submission. See the drops of blood. Focus, focus, focus.

Have your beads, pray your intention in God’s will as you pray your rosary. Know He hears you, know He loves you. Once you learn to do this, shutting out the world, you will know you are in the presence of God.
 
Tigg said:
Barb: Your comments reminded me of a Bible study I once did on Revelation - I have copied some notes below.

I will give the hidden manna; I will also give him a white stone upon which is inscribed a new name, to be known only by him who receives it. Rev 2:17.

A white stone, in the Hellenistic world, was sometimes used as an admission ticket for a royal assembly. It was also given to those who had been given an acquittal in a jury trial. Throughout Revelation white symbolizes victory. But whose name is written on the stone? It cannot be our Baptismal name, nor Confirmation name, because those names are known to all. How can the stone be new and known only to the victor? This underscores the intensely personal nature of our salvation. Each of us struggles in our own way to conquer sin and temptation. What may be a struggle for one in a particular area, may not be a struggle for another, but rest assured that Christ will know and reward each according to his own measure. The inscription on the stone will relate to one who is faithful in a very unique and personal way to the Father and the Son, and each who enters heaven will give God a particular glory that no one else can give! It will involve the unique and personal witness that individual gave to Christ on earth. This unique name, known only to the victor and the Lord, is the reward of being faithful unto death. (Commentary by Fr. George Montague, Professor of Sacred Scripture, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX).
Click to expand...
Excellent quote, littleone, and a very encouraging and enlightening one. We can spend an aweful lot of time and energy either trying to be like others, or getting them to be like us (psychology calls this in part “the herding instinct”), when we are called to uniqueness. Each of us is a one only, one of.
and each who enters heaven will give God a particular glory that no one else can give!
Click to expand...
This concept is new to me but it certainly is very beautiful and a wondrous one, most encouraging and enlightening. Inspirational!

Blessings and regards…Barb:)
 
I wrote on this topic in my blog; perhaps it will be helpful for those who feel they never “hear back” from God. I struggled with the same issue for many years.

Can you hear Me now?
 
Ted_in_Charlott said:
Matthew 6:5 And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret, and thy father who seeth in secret will repay thee. 7 And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. 8 Be not you therefore like to them for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him. 9 Thus therefore shall you pray:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Go to the closet / chamber / room. Get alone with your Creator. Shut all the other things out of your life. Pull the drapes, the curtains, the blinds. Turn off the tv, radio. Light a candle. Sit a few moments, slow down your breathing. Turn off the day. Focus on God. Maybe a moment in the life of Jesus. The Garden of Gesthemene works. Invision Jesus, on His knees, praying to the Father, in perfect submission. See the drops of blood. Focus, focus, focus.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Would it not be best to relate how the top wording is biblical and the latter is from the catholic church? Not a put down!
Have your beads, pray your intention in God’s will as you pray your rosary. Know He hears you, know He loves you. Once you learn to do this, shutting out the world, you will know you are in the presence of God.
Click to expand...
Godbless
 
dang71 said:
why is prayer such a useless endeavor? i have been praying every day for years, and have NEVER had a prayer answered. not even a “no”. i just get nothing, emptiness, absence. why is prayer such an exercise in futility for some, when it seems to be such a wonderful experience for others? why is God so active in the lives of some, and so absent in the lives of others?
Click to expand...
Do you at least **believe **that God hears you when you speak to him??

Psalms 4:4
…the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him

He’s got good ‘ears’ you know…
 
Prayers are never futile. I’m 56 yrs. old and I am very aware that my prayers and the graces from all the daily Masses I attended grades 1-8 are still working in my life. God isn’t limited by our concept of time.
 
Cathryn said:
Prayers are never futile. I’m 56 yrs. old and I am very aware that my prayers and the graces from all the daily Masses I attended grades 1-8 are still working in my life. God isn’t limited by our concept of time.
Click to expand...
Oh yes, well said, and so say I who have sinned on many occasions.
Should I ever think I have not sinned then I have not listened to the other voice telling me He loves me , died for me, and rose again so that I may at least have the chance of eternal life with a Father Son and Spirit who can only LOVE me.
And I have heard their voice each day, for the Son says “I speak and My sheep hear me and I hear them”

“Should one EVER get tangled in the bramble bush then I (Jesus) would leave the 99 and tend the need of, ~ME~, the 1 who is entangled”.

Godbless.
 
dang 71 said: why is prayer such a useless endeavor? i have been praying every day for years, and have NEVER had a prayer answered. not even a “no”. i just get nothing, emptiness, absence. why is prayer such an exercise in futility for some, when it seems to be such a wonderful experience for others? why is God so active in the lives of some, and so absent in the lives of others?

Hey dang! Have you ever asked yourself, “Why am I praying?” Are you seeking an experience of God, or God HIMSELF?

Here are some words of wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen:

He says, “praying is no easy matter. It demands a relationship in which you allow the other to enter into the very center of your person, allow him TO SPEAK there, allow HIM to touch the sensitive core of your being, and allow HIM to see so much that you would rather leave in darkness.”

Why don’t you earnestly tell God just how you feel and your disappointment in what you perceive to be a non-responsive God? Be HONEST with HIM and invite HIM to tell you what HE would like you to hear! (He hears every whisper, you know!)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top