Does Prayer Actually Work?

[Hassan]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' date='14 September 2009 - 02:16 PM' timestamp='1252952179' post='1966325']
Maybe this is why He has withheld positive answers to your prayers. [/QUOTE]

Aside from my grandmothers death in 6th grade, I never really asked for anything in my prayers that could be manifested in a clear yes or no way. I did pray a lot that my will be molded to his, that I grow in holiness, have faith et cetera. That’s not a dramatization on my part for an internet debate. Those really were the main things I always prayed for. Aside from smaller side prayers, like for the souls in purgatory, Priests, the Hole Father, my family to grow in holiness et cetera. Jamie can believe it or not, however I do understand wishing to grow in holiness and have no problem with individuals who have faith doing just that, I devoted my of my high school years to just that.


I guess those didn't pan out.

[QUOTE]Do you want faith?
[/quote]


Only if it's true.

[kamiller42]

The question should not be "Does prayer work?" It should be "Why doesn't God get credit when it does?" Too many times people fail to acknowledge what God has given them or simply write it off as "Well, it was going to happen anyway."

I find irony in writing on a forum in a little corner of the internet asking whether prayer works and if it's worth doing the effort to communicate.

[sacredheartandbloodofjesus]

Prayer works and this I can attest to. This is my own personal experience, and I have experienced miracles to large degrees. Such as going from hating and dogging pretty much everybody I met on the streets or bus... to lending them a helping hand and a smile with some nice conversation. Also going from despair, extreme anxiety, depression and condemning myself every second of the day... to hope, peace, joy and being content with the way I am. Going from smoking marijuana and occasionally getting drunk with no thought of ever giving them up...to being marijuana free and sober for about a year( I converted 5/7/08). And many many more miracles that are unexplainable considering the only major change in my life has been the Catholic faith. No counseling, no psychology, no philosophy until just recently, no anything that can be the cause of all this, except for the ONE who has caused all things good. GOD

p.s. Mary has also helped me out alot personally. And when i say personally I mean as real as the person your living with.

I hope this helps somebody.

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Hassan' date='14 September 2009 - 03:46 PM' timestamp='1252953979' post='1966346']
Aside from my grandmothers death in 6th grade, I never really asked for anything in my prayers that could be manifested in a clear yes or no way. I did pray a lot that my will be molded to his, that I grow in holiness, have faith et cetera. That’s not a dramatization on my part for an internet debate. Those really were the main things I always prayed for. Aside from smaller side prayers, like for the souls in purgatory, Priests, the Holy Father, my family to grow in holiness et cetera. Jamie can believe it or not, however I do understand wishing to grow in holiness and have no problem with individuals who have faith doing just that, I devoted my of my high school years to just that.


I guess those didn't pan out.[/quote]

Didn't you say earlier that you've ask for a number of specific things in prayer, but that none of them has been answered?


[quote name='Hassan' date='14 September 2009 - 03:46 PM' timestamp='1252953979' post='1966346']
Only if it's true.
[/quote]

Indeed. Maybe you should ask or pray to know Truth.

[Hassan]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' date='15 September 2009 - 09:04 AM' timestamp='1253019850' post='1966755']
Didn't you say earlier that you've ask for a number of specific things in prayer, but that none of them has been answered?
[/quote]


Not that I remember. I mean obviously I prayed for particular things. Like if someone was sick or died a quick prayer for them. But in terms of long term prayer I mostly focused on things which really wern't subject to any clear 'yes' or 'no' answer.

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='Hassan' date='14 September 2009 - 01:52 PM' timestamp='1252950763' post='1966316']
What would that demonstrate besides that repetition breeds habit?

I still sometimes have to stop myself from automatically crossing myself when I pass the cemetery outside my dorm. Or when I walked in the Pita Pit some Newman center kids were saying grace at the table, I came in as they were crossing themselves and did likewise without thought.

You give a vague mandate, why not something substantive? Why not something that will give a loud and clear answer? I think it's because you all deep down know that if your God is put to the test he probably will not answer. I mean surely one of you all has the requisite mustard seed worth of faith that Christ promised would enable you to move mountains, why not pray with all piety and sincerity that a mountain move? I know Christ said “put not the Lord your God to the test” but he also said “knock and the door shall be opened”. You can chalk it up to "God answers every prayer, but sometimes the answer is no" I suppose, but after enough prayers go unanswered the silence really does become deafening.
[/quote]

Sometimes, the very "mountain" that has to move is our own pride and disbelief. This is what frustrates God. When you read Scripture, you notice that it was those without Faith that caused Jesus the most grief. Why? Because their unbelief made it impossible for God to work with them.

Sometimes we think God is there to answer our beck and call. What we fail to realize is that God gives us what we need, not what we want...and many of us (i'm included) can act like spoiled children when we don't get what we want. It is easy to say, "Well God doesn't exist, because I asked and did not receive."

The only response to the "deafening silence" that comes to you after prayer, is to pray and pray again...

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Hassan' date='15 September 2009 - 05:42 PM' timestamp='1253047330' post='1967072']
Not that I remember. I mean obviously I prayed for particular things. Like if someone was sick or died a quick prayer for them. But in terms of long term prayer I mostly focused on things which really wern't subject to any clear 'yes' or 'no' answer.
[/quote]

I must be getting comments from different threads confused... I can't find the one I seem to have in my head.

Why not be specific in prayer?

[Hassan]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' date='16 September 2009 - 10:05 AM' timestamp='1253109915' post='1967489']


Why not be specific in prayer?
[/quote]


Because I didn't treat prayer like a vending machine. Kierkegaard said that the purpose of prayer was to bring our will in line with God's and I took this quite seriously. I wasn't opposed to praying for specific things.

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Hassan' date='16 September 2009 - 12:18 PM' timestamp='1253114318' post='1967520']
Because I didn't treat prayer like a vending machine. Kierkegaard said that the purpose of prayer was to bring our will in line with God's and I took this quite seriously. I wasn't opposed to praying for specific things.
[/quote]

As long as your prayer recognizes "your will be done," and that is your sincere intention, you can pray as specifically as you want. There's nothing wrong with praying for someone's physical healing, though a believer should recognize that spiritual healing is more important and eternally beneficial, so praying for physical suffering to bring about spiritual healing is a better prayer.

I've never felt any shame in praying for something I sincerely want. It's simply being honest with God and expressing trust in His will. That said, I don't expect Him to just deliver what I ask like a butler; I do expect that He will answer what I ask with what I truly need, and He knows that better than I do.

Edited September 17, 2009 by LouisvilleFan