Why do we pray?

[Pete44]

This is an honest question that I am currently struggling with in my mind. Other than to show praise and thanksgiving, why do we pray asking God for things? If God has a plan then how are our prayers ever going to change that. God is going to do what is in his plan regardless of what we ask right? Also, when we pray for others or for relationships to be healed or whatever else; people have free will and God will not interfere with that, so are prayers are not going to change that. Its all very confusing to me. Any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated. Im feeling kind of lost.

 

[FCEGM]

This is an honest question that I am currently struggling with in my mind. Other than to show praise and thanksgiving, why do we pray asking God for things? If God has a plan then how are our prayers ever going to change that. God is going to do what is in his plan regardless of what we ask right? Also, when we pray for others or for relationships to be healed or whatever else; people have free will and God will not interfere with that, so are prayers are not going to change that. Its all very confusing to me. Any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated. Im feeling kind of lost.

Pete, all prayer is a recognition of our dependency on our Loving Father. Prayer is an exercise in humility. Because He has freely ordained that some of His gifts are dispensed in response to prayer - another reason for humility in the face of our poverty meeting His largesse. I like this quote and think it addresses your question well:

"He has already seen everything before we ask Him. The whole course of events lies spread before His eternal eye, and proceeds according to the designs of His Love. He sees events and all their causes. Among their moral causes He sees also this present prayer of ours.

"Our own poor prayer, offered up from this lost corner of the universe, at this fleeting moment of time, was taken into consideration from all eternity by this omnipotent God Who holds all things in His hands. . .He heard it, where He dwells beyond time and change, where there is no before and after. . . .He saw our intention and He saw our need in the eternal simplicity of creative Thought. He welcomed our prayer before it was uttered. . . . .[Prayer] sets us already in our place in eternity, while we are still borne along on the current of time. It brings us back to the true source of our life, and associates us with this universal government by which [He makes] all things serve the true good of [His sons and daughters]. Abbe Emile Guerry, God the Father: Meditations.

 

[Patavium]

We pray to always maintain our relationship with our Father. It is the same reason why do you call and visit your parents? or loved ones?.

 

[Neden]

Also we must be aware that not all prayer is words. It is having a constant openness to God. Kind of like having the heart hold a vigil on the things of God as one goes throughout the day. It is likened unto The Blessed Virgin Mary where she “ponders these things in her heart.”

Also our fidelity to God is a prayer. Often we try to measure how productive we are by how we feel as we are praying. But prayer is not about feeling at all. Often just sitting in silence before God at the Blessed Sacrament and/or Tabernacle is a very heart felt prayer and communication with God even though we might judge ourselves to not doing much at all.

Neden

 

[nickybr38]

When you pray, you can also just talk to Him you know? It’s not always about asking for things, sometimes praying is just meditating ON God… listening to God in the silence or sharing our fears, concerns, joys, thoughts with Him.

 

[Barbkw]

I pray to learn to accept what God wills of me in various situations. To learn my place. Where I’m to be in control, where I’m to be an assistant, and where I’m to be an observer.

 

[Pete44]

My parents maintain a conversation. My prayers go out and thats it…nothing is answered they just go out

We pray to always maintain our relationship with our Father. It is the same reason why do you call and visit your parents? or loved ones?.

 

[nickybr38]

My parents maintain a conversation. My prayers go out and thats it…nothing is answered they just go out

That’s not true. God speaks to us in many different ways.

He speaks to us through others.
He speaks to us through our conscience.
He speaks to us through the world around us. The birds and bees, the hills and trees sing His praise.
He speaks to us through the Church.
He speaks to us through the Bible.

There have been times when I’ve been seeking an answer from God and I just happened to flip the Bible to a passage that exactly answered my question.

Other times people have come to speak to me about the issue I was having (without them being aware I was having an issue prior to them approaching me!).

God speaks to us, but we have to be ready to hear Him.

 

[Pete44]

I want to hear him really badly. I know he is there, and feel horrible for questioning him hearing me. Sometimes I feel like a spiritual switch is turned off and I dont know what to do about it.

 

[nickybr38]

I want to hear him really badly. I know he is there, and feel horrible for questioning him hearing me. Sometimes I feel like a spiritual switch is turned off and I dont know what to do about it.

Sometimes a spiritual switch is turned off. Sometimes to help us grow (adversity can help us mature), sometimes because there is something within us that needs sorting out…

Either way, keep praying. Listen for God’s answer but remember to be open to whichever form of communication He chooses. The subtle and the not so subtle answers are there.

Most importantly, go to Mass. Go as often as you can. Be with our Lord’s physical presence. When you seek Him, He will find you.

I will pray for you friend.

 

[Patavium]

Prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue.

 

[nickybr38]

Prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue.

Easy enough to say, much harder to understand. I had a long period of time where I didn’t pray at all because there didn’t ever seem to be any ‘dialogue’… I have since learned how to find God within prayer but it is no easy thing.

 

[Pete44]

Sometimes a spiritual switch is turned off. Sometimes to help us grow (adversity can help us mature), sometimes because there is something within us that needs sorting out…

Either way, keep praying. Listen for God’s answer but remember to be open to whichever form of communication He chooses. The subtle and the not so subtle answers are there.

Most importantly, go to Mass. Go as often as you can. Be with our Lord’s physical presence. When you seek Him, He will find you.

I will pray for you friend.

Thank you, and I will do the same for you. I have been going to Mass regularly and trying to recieve the sacraments as much as possible (confession weekly after 5 yrs of not going at all). So I know there is a reason for this and that God is working in my life. I guess God is teaching me patience…a hard virtue to learn (and evidently it has become very frustrating for me as well). If you dont mind, maybe you can answer another question for me. How do we know when what we hear in us is God and not our own wishful thinking?

 

[nickybr38]

Thank you, and I will do the same for you. I have been going to Mass regularly and trying to recieve the sacraments as much as possible (confession weekly after 5 yrs of not going at all). So I know there is a reason for this and that God is working in my life. I guess God is teaching me patience…a hard virtue to learn (and evidently it has become very frustrating for me as well). If you dont mind, maybe you can answer another question for me. How do we know when what we hear in us is God and not our own wishful thinking?

Faith.

I’m sorry but from my own personal experience that’s the only answer I can give. I have received many ‘answers’ to prayer over the years that could easily be dismissed but I choose to believe.

 

[Patavium]

Yes recognizing prayer as a dialogue is not easy to do.

It takes a while. I didn’t think before it was a dialogue, until I spoke and read about it, and I wondered about how God speaks to us. The answer is God speaks to us sometimes through ourselves (voice, intuition…), through family, through friends, through events of Life, through acts, and so on.

and like nicky says is about Faith. Trusting God.

 

[eddadonkey]

This is an honest question that I am currently struggling with in my mind. Other than to show praise and thanksgiving, why do we pray asking God for things? If God has a plan then how are our prayers ever going to change that. God is going to do what is in his plan regardless of what we ask right? Also, when we pray for others or for relationships to be healed or whatever else; people have free will and God will not interfere with that, so are prayers are not going to change that. Its all very confusing to me. Any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated. Im feeling kind of lost.

For the sheer joy of it!

 

[nickybr38]

Yes recognizing prayer as a dialogue is not easy to do.

It takes a while. I didn’t think before it was a dialogue, until I spoke and read about it, and I wondered about how God speaks to us. The answer is God speaks to us sometimes through ourselves (voice, intuition…), through family, through friends, through events of Life, through acts, and so on.

and like nicky says is about Faith. Trusting God.

And anecdotal stories!!!..

I was having a difficult time going to confession. Where I live there is no ‘set’ confession time. You always have to call and make an appointment. I was having such a hard time with this. I prayed for help. The very next day our parish priest approached me and asked me when I’d like to go to confession. Just like that an appointment was made.

I put this down to an answer to prayer. And this isn’t the only time things like this popped up. Often I will say a prayer and at Mass that week someone will approach me with the answer I needed. It’s entirely random but I always give praise to God for His intervention.

Another story.

A friend of mine once asked God to show her that He loved her. She needed to know, desperately. She was in a very bad state mentally. She says when she got up and walked out of the Cathedral (where she was praying) she spotted an old man across the street. When their eyes met, he smiled… and she says in that moment she felt as if God had answered her prayer. Through that old man’s smile God let her know she was loved.

Maybe most people hear a story like that and they think; that girl is crazy but I heard her story and I thought: What faith that girl has!!!

And yet another story! During the most difficult week of my life (the week before I was called to the Catholic Church) I was in complete despair. The Lord had shown me the depth of my sin and I was bowled to my knees. I didn’t get off my knees all that week. I was overwhelmed by despair… overwhelmed by my own depravity… I prayed and I prayed to God and there seemed to be no answer. At the end of that week this man came up to me… this man I had never met before in my life… and he took my hand in both of his, looked me straight in the eye and he said: God bless you.

Don’t ask me why but in that moment I just KNEW that God loved me, had heard my prayers and had sent this man. I can’t even describe the feeling but it was amazing.

Anyway, those are just a few real life examples of how God can speak to us. Maybe you read the stories and you think: But… maybe that wasn’t God? But the thing is, in the moment, I knew it was (and my friend knew it was).

Now, in the case of when you’re seeking a specific answer (should I take this job? should I go on this business trip? Should I do this, should I do that?) I believe God has given us intuition and our conscience to give us answers.

Phew. Sorry. I dooo like to type.

 

[Pete44]

My faith is weak…unfortunately. Im full of question and doubt and question but I am working on it. I wish I could just let go and fully trust but its like I hold on to hard.

Thanks for all the advice and guidance.

 

[nickybr38]

My faith is weak…unfortunately. Im full of question and doubt and question but I am working on it. I wish I could just let go and fully trust but its like I hold on to hard.

Thanks for all the advice and guidance.

We all question and doubt.

We all have trouble trusting.

We are human, after all.

What kinds of questions do you have? CAF is a great place for you to be because here you can have those questions addressed. And while the answers may or may not be what you need, at the very least it can be a start.

Take your questions to the forum or if you’re not comfortable doing so, do a search for people have had the same questions you have. I’m sure you’ll find some help here.

 

[eddadonkey]

My faith is weak…unfortunately. Im full of question and doubt and question but I am working on it. I wish I could just let go and fully trust but its like I hold on to hard.

Thanks for all the advice and guidance.

Like nickybr38 has said, all of us are lacking in faith, Pete.

But fortunately for us, it is not us, in a sense, who prays to God.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26

The next time you pray, pray to God that you do not know how to pray, and let Him pray for you, for He knows the innermost longings and thoughts of your heart.

And then…marvel at the work of the Lord in you