How often do you pray?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I'm intrigued by this. Do you not pray for remission when a family member has cancer? Do you not pray for your husband to get the dream job he applied for? Do you not pray for your son to make friends at his new school? "

How does this work? Whose prayers are answered? And why?

Not the PP, but I believe my prayers worked. For instance, my husband was dead set against having children. Novena to St. Jude, he became all for it. We are now undergoing IVF. That is a far leap from not wanting children at all to such interventions to have children.

St. Jude answered my prayers, I have no doubt.

I find it hard to believe that people still think like this in this day and age. Humans really are just giant hairless rats, I guess, and we shouldn't expect too much of them.

I'm curious as to how you get through life without believing in a power higher than yourself. You have children and you don't think they are miracles? I have seen the power of prayer work miracles with a friend with a stage 4 brain tumor. Many times I pray for God's will to be done and even though you are anonymous on this board, God's know who you are and I just said a prayer for you.

I'm not that poster, but I find "more" peace with the fact there is no God. Otherwise I'd be really pissed that he lets people suffer, sometimes unspeakably. I'd never willingly let my kids suffer, so I can't understand a diety that does. Either he's cruel or he's not omnipotent.

So it's easier to be grateful for what's good, and try to change what's bad. To understand that the only thing that has any bearing on my life is me, and some luck, and that most of it is just beyond anyone's control.

[Anonymous]

We are given free will and if we misuse this, it isn't God's fault but ours. There is dreadful suffering and much of it is because dictators, autocrats, mean and evil people use their free will to do these things. I don't pretend to have the answers; I don't know why bad things happen to good people, but they do. For me, there is comfort and solace in the knowledge that there is a God who does care and gives me hope.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for asking the question, I've been so caught up in work and being over worked. I really need to start praying again and needed to be reminded how important it is. I hadn't even realized I hadn't been doing it.

[Anonymous]

The last time I actually prayed (and prayed hard!) was when they were trying to find those miners alive in WV. Didn't go so well. Mostly I just find myself taking a few moments each day (usually after lights out) to refocus on the many wonderful and positive things in my life. It's really more just being thankful and aware, but I don't think that qualifies as praying. FWIW I was raised a Catholic, but I'm not sure I'd even pass for a Christian these days...

[Anonymous]

I pray fdor others in need. I was driving one day when I heard an ambulance. My 4 year old said "Dear God, someone is in trouble and needs You. Be with them." (They pause to pray at school when they hear emergency sirens.) My prayer echos that and I add "There, but for the grace of God, go I"

[Anonymous]

Every day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm not that poster, but I find "more" peace with the fact there is no God. Otherwise I'd be really pissed that he lets people suffer, sometimes unspeakably. I'd never willingly let my kids suffer, so I can't understand a diety that does. Either he's cruel or he's not omnipotent.

So it's easier to be grateful for what's good, and try to change what's bad. To understand that the only thing that has any bearing on my life is me, and some luck, and that most of it is just beyond anyone's control.

This! Specially children - seeing young, innocent babies suffering....

[Anonymous]

I pray right after an argument with my husband=several times a day, specially during weekends. I pray to ask protection to my 24 m.o. DS and me. Don't want to cry, I do want to stay strong. I feel less love for my husband.

[Anonymous]

I don't pray. I feel it is a farce.

If really there was a God who let people suffer unless someone happened to pray for them - well that is not a God I want to believe in.

[Anonymous]

During every single take off, landing, and mid air turbulences...

[Anonymous]

Never. Athiest here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm curious as to how you get through life without believing in a power higher than yourself. You have children and you don't think they are miracles? I have seen the power of prayer work miracles with a friend with a stage 4 brain tumor. Many times I pray for God's will to be done and even though you are anonymous on this board, God's know who you are and I just said a prayer for you.

I am curious how people can actually believe in a God. I mean, look around you. Look at all the people that get brain cancer. You think that you pray to God and then he decides to save some? really? what about the people you pray for that don't get saved? God is like "oh, this random woman in north Virginia wants Freddy to be cured, maybe I will cause the cancer to shrink after all. I was going to kill him off, but she said such a nice little prayer I will spare him for now. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go and make sure that the Redskins win, because they made a really nice prayer too." Other times he is like "Actually, nice prayer, but sorry bitch, this kid's cancer will grow until it kills him."
I mean, isn't that obviously ridiculous to everyone? Can you not see that ascribing agency to things might have been a useful evolutionary tool, but that this is taking it a bit far?
And what do you mean "pray for God's will to be done"? Isn't god's will going to be done anyway? Isn't that the whole point of being god? You might save your breath then.

Science is better at explaining why some people get cancer and others don't - and it is getting better all the time. I think this is the line to pursue, rather than spells and incantations etc.

Do I think my children are miracles? No. I think they are fantastic and I love them very much - but on some level I know that this is because this is what we are genetically programmed to do. People who didn't feel a strong attachment to their children didn't tend to pass their genes on. That doesn't make my feelings any less real or meaningful.

[Anonymous]

It was soon after I watched a 3 year old die from cancer that I stopped believing in a god. I was about 15. The entire family devoted their life to church and the attached school. Both parents and all 6 of their kids spent most of their waking hours there. And this is how god thanked them for their service? If he was real, I think he's a total jerk and don't want to be associated with him.

Life is a lot more certain without a deity, in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

After a really rough year that was full of heart-ache, grieving, and despair- I was so angry at God. I couldn't believe that I had "wasted" so much time going to church and praying.

I kept asking "why me?"

And then, one day, I realized that EVERYONE has suffering and hardship. And the real question was "why NOT me?" What would make me entitled to a life free from injustice? Nothing.

When I stopped asking "why me" and instead embraced the life I have been given I finally experienced contentment and peace. Instead of getting angry at God for the hard things in my life, I am able to thank Him for the opportunity to grow. Do I get mad? Yes, at humans. But not with God. I do have a hard time coming to grips with things like children suffering, etc...and I don't have an explanation.

To answer the OP, I pray often. Usually just short prayers of thankfulness or for wisdom/peace/patience. I do pray for things- if you don't ask, you'll never know! And I really think I pray more now as a mom than I did before. Those 2am pleas for babysleep happen alot aroudn here!