Spiritual guidance powered by AI and grounded in Scripture
Your Question:
What's the point of prayer when God doesn't seem to care?
Answer:
As a pastor, I've encountered many who struggle with the concept of prayer, especially when it seems like God isn't listening. But the Bible teaches us that prayer is not just about getting things from God, but about getting to know Him. Jesus encourages his disciples to pray and gives them the Lord's Prayer as a model for how to do it (Matt. 6:9-13). Prayer is the way that the life of God in us is nourished, and it's not just about asking for specific things, but about building an intimate relationship with Him. The idea that prayer is futile because God doesn't seem to care is a misconception. Jesus tells us that God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matt. 6:8), but He wants us to pray anyway because it expresses our trust in Him. Prayer is not just about getting what we want, but about showing our dependence on God. The Bible says that we must pray with faith, which means trust or dependence on God (James 4:2). When we pray, we must not play at it, but show persistence if we don't receive the answer immediately. The Bible is full of examples of God answering prayer, and it's clear that He wants to respond to our prayers. Jesus says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you" (Matt. 7:7-8). We must not assume that God will only answer prayer seldom, if ever. Instead, we should have faith that He will work in powerful and even miraculous ways. When we pray, we must pray with the right attitude, seeking God's will and not just our own desires.
Sources:
jesus on trial
david limbaugh
my utmost for his highest
oswald chambers
job
francis andersen
systematic theology
wayne grudem
luke
leon morris
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