What is Prayer? -Sydney Snow
"'Prayer is the asking of what is right and fitting from God.' Many times our prayer is not heard because we seek that which is not good for us: 'You ask and you do not receive, because you ask amiss.' To know, indeed, what one ought to pray for is most difficult; for it is not easy to know what one ought to desire."
This quote really hit home to me. Growing up, my mom used to say that God did not answer some prayers, but she would never give me an explanation until I got older. She said that God does not hear prayers from unsaved people. I never knew how to feel about what she believed, and I do not know whether I believe it myself or not. But this got me thinking, if an unsaved person begins to pray asking what is right and fitting from God, does God hear it?
I also like the clear and concise definition that this passage gives of prayer. "Prayer is the asking of what is right and fitting from God." Wow. Whenever I would ask what it meant to pray when I was younger, I always got the same answer: "It is when you talk to God about your problems and give them to Him." They are both basically the same but, I feel this one is much easier to comprehend.
In todays society, you can hear about people who tell God what they want in life. That is not how it works. We should be asking God what he wants us to have. Its like the relationship between a parent and a child. A child does not always get what they want, they are only allowed to get what the parent feels they should have. Yes, we should pray selfishly, but to a point.
I commented on Cody's and Cade's.
I commented on Cody's and Cade's.
I do believe that God hears all prayers. Although, I think some prayers are not answered because they are not what are destined in God's will. Sometimes you don't get into that dream college, or you don't marry that certain boy/girl. It is not initially because God "didn't hear you". It is because he had something much better for you in the end. We are instructed to do more listening during our prayer time than talking. Often time, I know I find myself doing this, I seem to only pray when I want something. (It usually goes like, "please let me get an A on this test" lol.) We need to be careful that we listen for a response. Sometimes God is willing to answer our questions right away but we are too busy talking to hear him. Sometimes listening for the instruction he gives you can save everyone from a avoided heartache
ReplyDeleteA last teacher of mine said something that has stuck with me ever since it first came to my ears, “We always take action, make a move/decision, or tell God what we want before asking Him what he wants us to do, or what he knows is best for us. Like Kayla said, we’re often to busy talking about what we ~want~, that we don’t take second to ask to be told or given what we ~need~
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