Last Sunday during his sermon, our priest told us that prayers dont (or wont) get answered. Everything that happens to us has been destined by God and no amount of prayer will change it. For example, when I prayed for a parking space last week and got one instantly, I was certain that my faith had a hand in it. In actual fact, it had nothing to do with my prayer or my faith. It wasn't luck neither. It was God's plan for me. Update, GOD DOESN'T ANSWER PRAYERS. No way! Prayer helps us accept the good and the bad as all part of God's plan. My faith is based 80% on my personal experiences with God and how every single time I have faithfully prayed he has never failed me. The remaining 20% is how God's presence in my life and heart has helped me deal with bad times or accept when things do not go as planned. Seeing what I know now, I am left with one question. How do I continue to strengthen my faith or even keep it alive? My limited understanding of faith is such; I know God is there because I humbly pray and he answers my prayer. I believe and I am thankful.
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What will be will be. Whether you choose to pray or not to pray. People who keep vigil for the sick, are they praying in vain? Do we pray for a dying person to be healed or do we ask that he/she suffer less and accept his/her fate as God's will. Is there anything wrong in using the term 'fate' or 'destiny'?
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Of course I am aware that prayer concerns more than us asking for things. It is also about communicating with God and fortifying our bond. It is about thanksgiving and praising. This completes a prayer. However, what worries me most, is that for the past 3 days, I find myself not bothering to pray for the small things. A vacant parking space for example, or a shoe that I fancy in my size or that no one is in the restroom with me as I 'drop the kids off at the pool'. I thank and I praise but what can I ask for or hope to change that he has not already determined and fixed?
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So Yo, still praying for that winning lottery ticket?
10 comments:
I wonder why that priest said that.
au contrare. The Lord God, our FATHER loves to hear us ask of Him. It's part of our faith, constantly asking and praying means that we NEED Him. Yes, our lives are in His hands, He has a special plan for each of us, but that doesn't mean that we can't ask Him things that we would like! I know for sure that the happiness that I've felt for the past few months are the result of prayer.
"How do I continue to strengthen my faith or even keep it alive?"
Before this, I was v. depressed and hopeless. Some days I didn't see the point in smiling. I prayed for help. I joined several church activities recently, to explore ways in which I could get closer to God. Pu, I've been blessed with good friends who believe and praise and worship Him, and instead of looking at them as if they're "Jesus freaks", I praise God and thank Him for this blessing, giving me friends to make my stay here not only bearable, but fun and happy!
Recently I went to a youth camp. The speaker, Martin Jalleh said, God ALWAYS answers prayers.But sometimes the answer is "no". It makes sense! He'll give us what we want and need, but not the things that are not for us. After all, He is the God of Wisdom. Would you give your child something that you know won't be good for her even if she begs and throws a tantrum?
So yes, I do still pray to win the lottery. Just in case it's in His plans. :)
I am so glad that you have found peace and happiness there. It is an amazing feeling & experience, being touched by God. The sermon was discouraging but I will continue to pray and ask with faith. Thanks Yo.
Last year, I cut out and pasted a little snippet about prayer from the church flyer on my monitor. I see it every morning and when i read your post on prayer, I thought I'd share what it says:
"Prayer is for real. When we pray we are not indulging in wishful or contradictory thinking. We are not trying to squeeze something out of an unwilling deity. God gives willingly, yet it is good to pray hard in orders to find out if we really want what we pray for...God is a loving father, not a cranky (perhaps understandably so in the circumstances) head of a household. If He doesn't give what we want, He will give us what we need."
I especially liked the last sentence and hold faith in it. I think in life God is the only one who sees the WHOLE picture and I tell myself life is the way He has planned it. I still believe in the power of prayer, not in a sense that He will grant exactly what we want, but as Yo said, sometimes the answer is 'no'. And that's ok.
So yeah, I'm still praying for my happy ever after...manalah tau.
ya, saya setuju dengan fridaycat.
and, i'm still planning to leave the country.
Hi Pu Ei..Its been a long time oh. How are you? Ok I may not have much in sight about prayers but I do believe that the Big Man up there does have a plan for each and every one of us. Anyway, I didnt know that you had a blog so if its ok with you I'm adding you on my link list okie.. :)
Hi Lynn. I am good. Yourself? No prob, link me up.
I do believe that God has a plan for us, that He sees the bigger picture and He will give us only what we need (not necessarily what we want) but what I want to know is if we can change His plan/will by praying?
This one must discuss further la. Christmas time ok.
we should pray that we do things according to His will willingly!
Trust in the Lord.
Okla. Christmas. but I won't be there. :(
aaand, how do we know what God's plan is that we want to change it?
ah...itu dia...
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