Tuesday, 24 February 2009
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How Much Proof Do You Need Before You Pray?
by miss goldenrod
"Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers," Paul said to his friend, Philemon. I was listening to this letter while driving between accounts Thursday, and the little sentence, so ordinary under most circumstances, struck me because Paul wrote this from a Roman prison. "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed..." Paul recorded this in Romans 4, showing that he understood the concept of having faith in God. Against all human-logic, Paul hoped and prayed that his life wasn't about to end in this prison. "Abraham never wavered in believing in God's promise," Paul continues. "In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised."
I don't know if Paul had a promise from God that indicated that he would indeed be using Philemon's guest room or whether he merely was hoping that the prayers of himself and others asking that he would be freed would be granted them by God. Lately I, and others too, from what I've read among the Christian Xangan community, have been wondering a myriad of things about the prayer-concept.
For myself, there is the general hesitation between two points: one that we serve a good God and the other that we serve a sovereign God. Can the two even co-exist? They must, as the Bible gives every proof they do, so then the question of prayer shouldn't even be a question.
Just a matter of trust...
I do like what Paul said to Philemon, because if he had no concrete-assurance from God that he'd be off to other things soon, his words seem to imply that he was merely hoping in better things and also in the goodness of God.
Before you pray, do you usually need to feel assurance that God will answer that prayer? Or do you pray with mere hope that He will?
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About the Author
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- From: Miss_Goldenrod
- Name: Laura
- About Me: A Christian living in Metro-Detroit who, when not working as a Horticultural Technician (Plant Lady) or volunteering with the Macomb Literacy Partners, reads, writes, watches too much television, and hangs out with family and friends. I share a home with a crotchety parakeet, a tankful of fish, and an adorable ferret (see photograph...under my skirt). To visit my Xanga alias, go to www.xanga.com/cygnus33
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Comments (15)
By the power of prayer, we become strong.. God bless! :)
I pray with FAITH, knowing and confident that whatever the outcome God will answer my prayers to His will, His glory! And I have FAITH that He will answer my prayers one way or the other, but now whether it's to my human liking, that's another issue for another day, rofl! :)
I just pray. I don't really worry about the outcome because I've gotten enough "no"s to realize that those "no"s are always better in the end than if He'd said "yes."
My motivation is usually just to remind myself of Who is in control.
Before you pray, do you usually need to feel assurance that God will answer that prayer? Or do you pray with mere hope that He will?
Same answer for everybody. Depends on how desperate you are for what you're going to pray for.
This post assumes that there is only one form of prayer: the prayer of petition.
There are other forms of prayer: blessing, intercession, thanksgiving and praise.
Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought (Romans 8:26)," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2559).
Prayer is gift, covenant and communion. It is much more than thinking of God as a genie.
Hmm... it's not so much that I need to feel assurance before I pray. I pray because I have that assurance. But it's more an assurance of God's presence, power and love than an assurance that he will do exactly what I want him to. I trust he knows what is best and he'll answer according to his will, and that what I think I want may not always be what I will get - or not in the way I expect. But I'm also okay with that - I'd rather trust God's wisdom.
The assurance has grown over the years, as I've seen answers to prayer greater than what I expected. So I guess it started as a tentative thing, and then my faith has increased the more I've prayed. Sometimes a sense of certainty comes over me while I'm praying, that that motivates me to pray more.
And, in reference to what someone has said in a previous comment about your assumption that prayer is only petition - well, that's what prayer literally means. To pray is to ask for something. Sure, we praise God and thank God, but if we're going to get all picky about semantics, those are not strictly speaking 'praying'. Am also not sure why intercession is seen as separate from petition - intercession is a form of petition, so naturally your post applies to both.
God can do ANYTHING, but there is power when people pray and things get stirred up. I think that He set it up so that we can take part in His work that way.
I think prayer also includes just chatting with God. It doesnt necessarily have to be asking for something.
If there is proof then there is no need for hope or faith. God always answers prayers, the problem is some people don't always listen. They think if things don't turn out the way they WANT them to then God didn't hear them. The thing is, God doesn't always say yes, sometimes the answer is no or not now. Some people only pray when they're in trouble or have some sort of trial. What about the rest of the time? How many of us remain on our knees and just listen for five minutes in the stillness of the moment? Or do we just say a quick prayer and then go about our business? Do we ever pray just to say thank you or do we pray just to ask for something without giving thanks for what we already have? The scriptures tell us to pray in all things that we do. How many of us actually do that? These are just some of the things I've thought about before.
Well, I used to pray because I had faith.
Then I prayed because I wanted to prove my faith right.
Then I stopped praying.
I got tired of feeling like I was talking to myself and desperately trying to prove something just to make myself feel better.
If I waited for assurance before I prayed for everything I wouldn't ever get a chance to pray! lol
I pray in Trust. I pray spending time glorifying God and Marveling at how awesome he is! When I ask for help I realize and fully trust that in no way am I expecting things to turn out the way I think they will- they usually don't. I suppose a "hopeful trust in the things I know to be" is how you might put it.
Isn't that basically the definition that "the author of Hebrews" gives us in Hebrews 11:1 "Now Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I know what my hope is in and I am assured of it.
I really think we have a strange perception of prayer as modernized westerners.
Scriptures explain what faith is (Hebrews 11:1) and they explain what prayer is like (see below). I don't know how we get so off base and how we get confused. I suppose life is just confusing. But I'm under this impression than G-d is the pillar of existence and that if we just put all our weight on him, it'll work out.
I pray commands and petitions. I don't pray hoping G-d will answer them. I don't pray after I have enough evidence to believe my prayers aren't ridiculous. I pray as a convinced person that whatever I pray will come to pass. I am convinced because I'm praying for the presence of the kingdom and will of G-d (Matthew 6). Sometimes it is specifics and sometimes generals.
A few verses I love to look at when discussing prayer are: Matthew 21:22, Mark 9:28-29, Mark 11:24, Luke 18:1, Luke 22:32, Romans 12:12, Philippians 4:6, Hebrews 5:7, John 16:24,
1John 3:21-23, James 4:2-4 and Romans 8:26 are good reminders when looking at these verses also.
I like to think of the Old Testament when Abraham and Moses both haggled with G-d and changed his mind. We forget how much G-d listens to us. Too often we think he only hears us and continues on his way but that is not enough. G-d actually hears us and actually listens to us and then acts based on our cries. He remembers his promises because of what we say to him. He changes his mind because of our cries.
What's the point of praying only if you're sure God will answer your prayers? No faith there. I know God will answer my prayers if I pray unceasingly. I just hope he will answer my prayers in the way I want, though I've accepted He'll answer them in the best way. It's best to pray for things that will make you a better Christian, like more patience with someone you don't get along with, chastity in relationships, strength to fight temptation, ect. unceasingly. That way you won't be disappointed with the results.
I pray, trusting that God has my situation in His hands and He will take care of it....the answer may not be what I want, but I have to trust it's always for the best.
It depends what it is. I have Full confidence that God hears my prayers, but when praying for something I really desire I do feel the need to pray for assurance.