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I know that this has been discussed before, and I apologize for bringing it back up, but I have looked through a few threads and haven't found what I'm looking for. This one has been weighing heavy on my heart over the past few days, and I need some discussion on it.
The Lord's Prayer specifically tells us, "Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven". Jesus gave us this prayer. Jesus also submitted to His Father's will when he asked, "take this cup away...not My will, but Your's be done." I know that I have said this in other threads, and it is a huge difference in the way my husband and I pray. I pray, "Thy will", and my husband prays with faith that what HE wants is what will be given. I struggle with this, because maybe I didn't pray with faith, but rather submitted to God's will. My husband is very adamant about how he feels. In fact (and he does not mean to hurt or insult me) he asked me just yesterday how Parker U (ParkerU.org) was doing. When I said that he was not doing well, my husband said that maybe we/I was not praying properly. Again, he was not meaning to insullt, this is his belief. His faith. And I have seen his prayers be answered!
Abraham nagged God incessantly over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. He did not submit to the will of God. He questioned God's plan. And each time, God gave in to Abraham's request. Jesus tells his disciples to "ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you".
So, what does this mean to us? Am I supposed to pray for what I want, or pray for God's will?
Tough question especially in life and death issues. I guess my personal rule of thumb is that when I believe the general nature of the prayer is in God''s will, and I believe my will is His will, I try to go ahead and just pray with all the faith I can muster... I think of the scripture (I think it is in the gospel of Mark) where Jesus exhorts us to believe that we have whatsoever we desire and we shall have it. So I think that indicates that He gives us some latitude in praying what we want.
But to balance that, we have the example of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane that He didn't want to die, but He also prayed that not His will but that the Father's would be done.
At the end of the day, I don't think that I am going to override God's will by my great display of faith. So I guess if I feel like my prayer is generally in alignment with something God would also desire, I just go ahead and pray as I desire and trust God to answer according to the counsel of His will.
Does this make any sense? Someone else could probably answer your question more adequately and eloquently than I have, but these are my thoughts on the matter.
Tough question especially in life and death issues. I guess my personal rule of thumb is that when I believe the general nature of the prayer is in God''s will, and I believe my will is His will, I try to go ahead and just pray with all the faith I can muster... I think of the scripture (I think it is in the gospel of Mark) where Jesus exhorts us to believe that we have whatsoever we desire and we shall have it. So I think that indicates that He gives us some latitude in praying what we want.
But to balance that, we have the example of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane that He didn't want to die, but He also prayed that not His will but that the Father's would be done.
At the end of the day, I don't think that I am going to override God's will by my great display of faith. So I guess if I feel like my prayer is generally in alignment with something God would also desire, I just go ahead and pray as I desire and trust God to answer according to the counsel of His will.
Does this make any sense? Someone else could probably answer your question more adequately and eloquently than I have, but these are my thoughts on the matter.
Thank you, Kaykay. That's all I'm looking for is other people's personal views on the idea. I don't know if any of us can actually be "right". I am sure that a lot of it has to do with a "heart thing".
Thank you in advance to anyone who can give me their opinion. Biblical reference is also welcome. I'm wondering now if OT would line up with NT or if it will be on opposite extremes. Like "an eye for and eye" and "turn the other check".
Im not a "if it be thy will thy will" type of pray-er, but then again, Im not a "get on my knees and pray" all the time either..I look at things like this..I believe God can do anything, WILL he is the question..If I am really needing something..or needing something from God..IMHO and my way of thinking..I literally bug the crap outta God about it...kinda like when our kids are hungry, or want something REAL REAL bad, they just WONT HUSH-lol, they pester, annoy, and ask and ask and ask. Now I know God already knows what I need before I pray, but like you said about Abraham....
The Bible says to knock...Example...if im knocking on somebodys door..lets say I need in-they have have my truck keys...do I just knock once? NO WAY, do I knock easy? NOPE...I want In..there is something I need..Im gonna knock...and knock and knock and knock very LOUDLY...well IMHO, we are told to knock and it shall be opened, ask and ye shall receive, Im not saying to yell and scream at God...Im just saying that I dont a hour go by that Im not talking to God about what I need, maybe not even ten minutes.... Im like..God I really need your help, what should I do, I really need you to help me...maybe the answer is not the way I would have expected..but doesnt the Bible also say God is a rewarder of thos that dilegently seek him?
Tough question especially in life and death issues. I guess my personal rule of thumb is that when I believe the general nature of the prayer is in God''s will, and I believe my will is His will, I try to go ahead and just pray with all the faith I can muster... I think of the scripture (I think it is in the gospel of Mark) where Jesus exhorts us to believe that we have whatsoever we desire and we shall have it. So I think that indicates that He gives us some latitude in praying what we want.
But to balance that, we have the example of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane that He didn't want to die, but He also prayed that not His will but that the Father's would be done.
At the end of the day, I don't think that I am going to override God's will by my great display of faith. So I guess if I feel like my prayer is generally in alignment with something God would also desire, I just go ahead and pray as I desire and trust God to answer according to the counsel of His will.
I agree! Some requests, like "Help me to be more like You", or a prayer that a lost loved one will see the light, I believe would be God's will, and we can feel confident in praying. However more "selfish"?? prayers such as "Help me get that new job, (maybe someone else needs it more?), we need to be open to God's will. He sees the big picture and knows what is best for us. There have been times where people have stubbornly continued to pray for something against the Lord's will, and when it has been granted, it has not been to their benefit.
I agree! Some requests, like "Help me to be more like You", or a prayer that a lost loved one will see the light, I believe would be God's will, and we can feel confident in praying. However more "selfish"?? prayers such as "Help me get that new job, (maybe someone else needs it more?), we need to be open to God's will. He sees the big picture and knows what is best for us. There have been times where people have stubbornly continued to pray for something against the Lord's will, and when it has been granted, it has not been to their benefit.
Good point. Just as a specific example that you mentioned, I have prayed about a new job recently and I know the specific place I am praying about working. But I have prayed that God would grant the job to me IF it would be a good thing. I have a job now and there are things possibly about this place I think I so desire to work that might not work out for me. Only the Lord knows.
Weather, I am with KayKay on this. I think that she is right on with everything that she said. I have found some vs. that I think might be helpful. I think that this will help you pray with total conviction that you are in God's will.
James 5:12-20
12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment. 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
Elijah's prayer for a dead child...
1 Kings 17:17-24
17 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him. 18 So she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?" 19 And he said to her, "Give me your son." So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he cried out to the LORD and said, "O LORD my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?" 21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the LORD and said, "O LORD my God, I pray, let this child's soul come back to him." 22 Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, "See, your son lives!" 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth."
Elijah prayed with confidence that God would hear and answer his prayer. In the end, God's will, will be done. I still say Thy will be done because Jesus gave us the example, and who am I to change it?
I hope this helps and I haven't confused you more..
1 John 5:14-15 "And we can be confident that He will listen to us whenever we ask Him for anything in line with His will. And if we know He is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that He will give us what we ask for".
When talking to God we should discuss with Him what He wants for us. The closer we draw to God the more our prayers align with His will. Sometimes we ask Him to heal others, but sometimes that is not His will.
Spend more of that prayer time giving thanks for what you already have. You may find that His will is already being worked out.
It's not anyone's business how someone else prays. What goes on in the head and the heart are both heard in addition to what the prayer actually is. When your husband prays for something to happen, he knows in his heart that it will be by God's will. He is merely letting God know that he too, feels strongly enough about a situation to pray about it. It doesn't show lack of faith.
Thank you everyone for your replys so far. I love you all and respect your thoughts so much.
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Good question, weather...
