a lot of christians pray incorrectly

[actionjackson]

I feel like when a lot of christians pray to god they are asking him something.
I feel this is wrong. One should rid of himself of all want because wanting is suffering. For it is the feeling of incompleteness.
If we should want anything from god it should be of forgiveness, understanding, and strengh. I like to tell god of my tribulations and troubles but i know it would do me no good to ask for things for I should grow spiritually and rid myself of the want like he wants me to.

 

[*Anne*]

I agree we shouldn't use prayer in a selfish manner, however I think it's impossible to stop "wanting" across the board. After all, if I ask God for strength to get through something, I'm wanting strength.

I've thought about this quite a bit. When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, I actually stopped and thought, "Can I pray for his recovery, or is that wrong? Plenty of people don't do well, and who am I to think my request is so much more important? So do I pray for the best possible outcome? That's vague. Better, but vague. Wait...what kind of wife doesn't pray for her husband to be healed?!"

Long story short, after this little argument in my head, I settled on praying for strength for both him, myself, and our families, and that we manage and survive whatever the outcome may be. I also prayed that God would give him a peaceful heart and mind.

:sad: Whatever good that does...

 

[fallingblood]

I feel like when a lot of christians pray to god they are asking him something.
I feel this is wrong. One should rid of himself of all want because wanting is suffering. For it is the feeling of incompleteness.
If we should want anything from god it should be of forgiveness, understanding, and strengh. I like to tell god of my tribulations and troubles but i know it would do me no good to ask for things for I should grow spiritually and rid myself of the want like he wants me to.

It is great that works for you. However, there is nothing wrong with praying to God for something they may want. It may not do anything, but it allows them a release.

As for forgiveness, understanding, and strength, I don't need that from God. I do good on my own.

 

[wordmagnifiedabovenames]

I agree that prayers should not be shopping lists. However, there are numerous passages in the Bible that show God encouraging people to ask for things. There are passages showing that God desires things. The Bible shows that Jesus wanted things, and prayed that those things would happen. I don't think that wanting things is a bad thing.
I think it's a question of peoples' own desires lining up with God's desires (Ps 37.) Wanting things for ourselves that God doesn't want for us is probably not a good thing, but us wanting the same things that God wants is a good thing.

Perhaps this thread should be moved to the Scriptural/Biblical debates section, or the Christian DIR, as it's specific to Christianity.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I feel like when a lot of christians pray to god they are asking him something.
I feel this is wrong. One should rid of himself of all want because wanting is suffering. For it is the feeling of incompleteness.

That sounds like a very Buddhist sort of Christianity.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Praying at all is a good start.

I doubt that God is ever critical of how we pray. God can correct our hearts in whatever way she wants when we open our hearts to her.

 

[Reverend Rick]

When I pray, I ask the Lord to help others, not myself. I did have a selfish prayer many years ago, I asked the Lord to let me live longer. I was afraid to die when I was young.

 

[Koldo]

That sounds like a very Buddhist sort of Christianity.

Exactly what i was going to say.

 

[ninerbuff]

I feel like when a lot of christians pray to god they are asking him something.
I feel this is wrong. One should rid of himself of all want because wanting is suffering. For it is the feeling of incompleteness.
If we should want anything from god it should be of forgiveness, understanding, and strengh. I like to tell god of my tribulations and troubles but i know it would do me no good to ask for things for I should grow spiritually and rid myself of the want like he wants me to.

Judge not and...............you know the rest.

 

[fahrenheit]

Jesus Himself said that when we pray we should ask for anything, and if we are true believers we will receive. Though you could certainly say true believers wouldn't pray for material things

 

[Picaresque]

I feel like when a lot of christians pray to god they are asking him something.
I feel this is wrong. One should rid of himself of all want because wanting is suffering. For it is the feeling of incompleteness.
If we should want anything from god it should be of forgiveness, understanding, and strengh. I like to tell god of my tribulations and troubles but i know it would do me no good to ask for things for I should grow spiritually and rid myself of the want like he wants me to.

There are too many examples to post them all, but just a sample of acceptable asking:

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful [NKJV: anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.


James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.


1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

The bible seems pretty clear on the subject. The only kinds of prayer that are forbidden are to idols, false gods, and these:

Matthew 6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward

Matthew 6:7 When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.

So basically it seems like prayer in Church is worse than prayer asking for something.

 

[ChristineES]

I feel like when a lot of christians pray to god they are asking him something.
I feel this is wrong. One should rid of himself of all want because wanting is suffering. For it is the feeling of incompleteness.
If we should want anything from god it should be of forgiveness, understanding, and strengh. I like to tell god of my tribulations and troubles but i know it would do me no good to ask for things for I should grow spiritually and rid myself of the want like he wants me to.

This is from "The Lord's Prayer" (ESV):

Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread,

As is plainly shown, Jesus told taught us how to prayer, and even asked for something.

 

[Erebus]

So basically it seems like prayer in Church is worse than prayer asking for something.

I actually agree with both you and the OP. Now I don't believe in the god of the Bible, but I do believe that prayer is a useful psychological tool.

Praying because you're supposed to (when in Church for example) makes it too easy to slip into thoughtless repetition. Praying because you want to or need to is much more valuable as it is a means to release pent up thoughts and emotions. It doesn't matter in my mind whether you pray because you want something or because you simply want to release your thoughts, providing the prayer is heartfelt and therefore charged with emotion and desire.

Who knows, maybe a god will even hear the prayer