Why do we pray?

[scapularkid8]

…I walk the journey of a Christian everyday, but I can’t even answer simple questions like this sometimes!

Do we all pray for different reasons? Does all prayer have the same end (bringing us closer to God)? Does all prayer allow for Theosis/making us more like God? Is the energy put toward prayer God moving me toward Him, or is it all my doing?

 

[Trishie]

Why do we pray? God requests that we pray.
And instructs us how, as Jesus did when He taught the disciples what we call the Lord’s prayer.

“There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it
with prayer and thanksgiving,
and that peace of God,
which is so much greater than we can understand,
will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus.”[Philippians 4:6-7]

St Paul also assures us that
the “Spirit…comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit Himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what He means,
and that the pleas of the saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God.” [Romans 8:26, 27]

“If any one of you is in trouble, he should pray; if anyone is feeling happy, he should sing a psalm.” [James 5:13] “Pray constantly; and for all things give thanks to God.” [Thessalonians 4:18]

 

[Trishie]

Is prayer all our doing? I’ve given that thought at some time, and when I do I tend to approach it as prayer, which may or may not answer a part of your question.eg, the following:

Eternal God, without the gift of prayer and the trust that makes it possible, how could we approach a Being as great as You.

The wonders and immensity of the universe that You created, hint of Your unimaginable supremacy. Yet, without haughty magnanimity, You chose to redeem human creatures from sin and mortality, and to make an eternal covenant of love with us. You communicate Your intentions and guidelines to us through God incarnate within Scripture, Church and the Spirit in our lives.

I cannot offer You the honour and love that You deserve, and the overwhelming difficulties and anxieties of this world sometimes deflect me from trying in my discouragement and sadness.

Therefore, God who mercifully bridged between Your human creatures and Yourself, please me to train myself in optimistic faith. I wish to cooperate with Your love to create in me all that You wish to find in my understanding and actions.

As I seek to fulfil Your desires, I thank You for this extraordinary gift of love, prayer, and life that You, our astounding and wonderful God, offer us.

 

[Trishie]

We can only offer God our effort and openness. Only God can bring us deeper into God, in God’s own way and time for each of us, but probably you know that most of the time.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

** scapularkid8**, you’ve got some deep questions!

scapularkid8:

Do we all pray for different reasons?

Yep! We pray in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons. There are of course petitions, and thanksgiving, and listening.

scapularkid8:

Does all prayer have the same end (bringing us closer to God)?

That is the greatest purpose of prayer, the union of the soul, or other souls, with God. For souls are eternal. Material things, pleasantries in this world, are temporal and do not deserve the focus of our hearts because they will pass away.

All genuine or good prayer has as its final purpose the union of the soul, or souls, with God. That doesn’t mean we always pray with that intention. We can pray for material things too, like a job or a girlfriend, but when we do that, we are still opening our hearts to God and sharing our passions with Him, which unites the soul better with God even if His answer is no. This is especially true if we’re willing to submit to His negative answer. For if we submit to Him when He says no, our pride is crushed and God reigns in our lives. Then He can give us what He wants to give us, which is always better for us than what we ask for (though it might include what we asked for, depending on what He wants).

scapularkid8:

Is the energy put toward prayer God moving me toward Him, or is it all my doing?

It isn’t all your doing. God provides us grace to motivate us to pray or draw nearer to Him. But we cooperate with God, and without our cooperation, nothing happens. God won’t destroy our Free Will and make us put our selves aside.

 

[jpk1313]

…I walk the journey of a Christian everyday, but I can’t even answer simple questions like this sometimes!

Do we all pray for different reasons? Does all prayer have the same end (bringing us closer to God)? Does all prayer allow for Theosis/making us more like God? Is the energy put toward prayer God moving me toward Him, or is it all my doing?

Yes we pray for different reasons like help in our life, wisdom, for God to do something. Yes the end of all prayer is God. Yes all prayer is conforming us to god (unless you are praying for something that goes against love-like God please kill the dog that keeps s****** on my lawn). it is a cooprative effort Seek and you will find knock and it will be opend ask and it will be given. by seeking god will leed you toward him, by knocking he will open the door and by asking he will give to you if you do not do these things you will never find or have the door opened or have anything given. All prayer is influenced by God through his grace.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Yes we pray for different reasons like help in our life, wisdom, for God to do something. Yes the end of all prayer is God. Yes all prayer is conforming us to god (unless you are praying for something that goes against love-like God please kill the dog that keeps s****** on my lawn). it is a cooprative effort Seek and you will find knock and it will be opend ask and it will be given. by seeking god will leed you toward him, by knocking he will open the door and by asking he will give to you if you do not do these things you will never find or have the door opened or have anything given. All prayer is influenced by God through his grace.

Exactly .