Why Do We Pray?

Why do we pray? Do our prayers really change anything? What if it does? What if it doesn’t? Would I know if it did or didn’t? Why would God answer our prayers? Do our prayers matter to him? Why would he care? How do we in our sinfulness dare to ask or even suggest something to God? Why should God in all his perfection listen to us? Why would we even want God to listen to us?? Why would we get in the way or Gods plans for us and try and force our own will on God? Is prayer just our way of trying to control God?

Do we just pray for things that we know could happen?  Why don’t we pray for things that seem impossible? If anyone could do the impossible, wouldn’t it be God? Are we restricting God with our human limitations? How can we possibly imagine God as able to be restricted by human limitations? Does our closed minded view of God’s abilities affect our prayer?

            If we truly thought that God could do what we call  “impossible” then why don’t we ask for the impossible? Why do we just ask for things like the ability to be kind to an impertinent co-worker and for broken bones to healing quickly? Why don’t we ask for the amputee’s limp to be restored and for the dead to rise? Why do we restrain God with our physical earthly limitations? Isn’t God above such things? How can we believe in a God who is restrained by the same limitations we are? Isn’t it the very nature of God to be beyond what we know? Isn’t God always more than we can comprehend? If he’s not, aren’t we missing something?

If we believe that God is above our earthly sphere and can do anything, why don’t we step up and ask for what man has labeled as impossible? Why are we afraid of asking our heavenly Father for what we really want? Don’t we have faith in something more? Don’t we believe that God could do something more is he so choose to? Why do we not think he would choose to do something more in our lives? Do we think that Lazarus being raised form the grave was just a story and nothing more? God did something “impossible” in Lazarus’s life, why do we think he can’t do the same in ours?

Are we afraid that we are just being selfish when we ask for things? Are we trying not to be greedy? How is asking for the amputees limb to be restored greedy? How is asking for the dead to rise selfish? Do we think that God has bigger things to take care of, bigger fish to fry? Why do we pray for certain things and not other things? Why do we pray about our aunt with cancer, but not our friendships? Why do we pray for our sick dog, but not for our own spirituality? Are we just trying to look out for ourselves so God can worry about the big things in life? Don’t we believe that God cares about us? If we re-worded our prayers would they not seem so selfish?

 Is prayer something you can learn? Is it something that we get better at over time? If so over time, will I eventually cease to have selfish prayers? Over time will I pray for the impossible and truly believe in its possibility? Does my ability to pray and feel comfortable praying affect the power of my prayer? Is a prayer a prayer no matter what? Does God take age and maturity into consideration when listening to our prayers? How does he decide who to say “yes” to and who to say “no” to? How do I know if he said yes or no?

Why do we bother to pray? If God is all-powerful and knows everything, why do we bother to put in our two cents?  Why do we even try to offer our sinful petty opinions to the creator of the universe? Don’t we want his will to be done? Is it selfish of us to think that God will listen to us?

Is prayer different for each person? Can the way I pray be completely different from the way you pray, and both of us still be praying? Is there just one way to pray? Are all the events in my life predestined to happen according to Gods supreme will? Do I get any say in how my life unfolds? Does it matter if I get any say? How would I know if my prayers made a difference or not? What if what I prayed for was just the way God already had planned an event to happen? Wouldn’t my prayers then be pointless? Do my prayers just clutter up an inbox for prayers that go against the predestined events God has ordained?  Does God really intervene in my life just because of my prayers?

If my prayers are not selfish and do not go against Gods will, do I really want them to come to fulfillment? I want Gods will to be done in my life and I want him to be in control, so why do I pray? Why do I tell God what I’m thinking and wanting? Why does God listen to me? Why doesn’t he get fed up with my selfish and ignorant requests? Why does God love me so much? Why does God listen to my prayers? Will I ever know why?