{"id":1690,"date":"2021-08-02T00:49:15","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T00:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/?p=1690"},"modified":"2025-08-24T07:01:54","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T07:01:54","slug":"prayer-makes-no-sense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/2021\/08\/02\/prayer-makes-no-sense\/","title":{"rendered":"Prayer Makes No Sense"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pf-content\"><p><span class=\"verse\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not saying we shouldn\u2019t pray, far from it. But prayer as understood by pretty much every Christian in the world is simply irrational.<\/p>\n<p>The average prayer goes something like this \u201cLord, I\u2019m sick (1), I know You love me (2), so please make me better! (3)\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s break that down by the number next to each part of the prayer above; (1) Prayer informs God that a problem exists; (2) why it needs to be addressed; and (3) what you think should be done about it. Right?<\/p>\n<p>But if you if you really think about it, every part of that is crazy. Because that prayer, like most today, assumes that God <strong>doesn\u2019t know (1)<\/strong>; <strong>doesn\u2019t care (2)<\/strong>; or isn\u2019t <strong>competent (3)<\/strong>. Let\u2019s look at them one at a time:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>If God is indeed all-knowing, then surely He knows we need these things <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Luke1230\" class=\"verse\">Luke 12:30<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. So why does He need <em>you<\/em> to tell Him? Does this part of the prayer really make sense?<\/li>\n<li>If God is indeed love, <em>\u201cnot willing that any should perish\u201d<\/em> <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"002nbspPeter39\" class=\"verse\">2&nbsp;Peter 3:9<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>, then surely God <em>is already<\/em> concerned about the problem. And you, or a thousand people like you, begging Him to address it can\u2019t possibly compare to His own love for His children\u2026 can it?<\/li>\n<li>If God\u2019s thoughts really are <em>\u201cas the heavens are higher than the earth, so are\u2026 my thoughts than your thoughts\u201d<\/em><strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Isaiah5589\" class=\"verse\">Isaiah 55:8-9<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>, then what could you <em>possibly<\/em> add to God\u2019s decision-making process?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Really, what are you bringing to the table here? Do you know ANYTHING about the bigger picture here? So why would God <em>ever<\/em> listen to you?<\/p>\n<p>Scratch that\u2026 why would you <em>want<\/em> Him to listen to you?<\/p>\n<p>Slow down, stop hyperventilating in shock, and think this through.<\/p>\n<p>God knew, long before you did, that this person was sick; God loves them enough to die for them&nbsp;&ndash; something you probably wouldn\u2019t do. And God is the only person who actually <em>can<\/em> fix them.<\/p>\n<p><em>So why pray at all?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>If God wanted hospitals emptied\u2026 then wouldn\u2019t they already BE emptied? Would He really be waiting around for you to ask?<\/p>\n<p>If God wanted righteous leaders over your country or church, wouldn\u2019t they <em>already<\/em> be there? <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"001nbspSamuel121415\" class=\"verse\">1&nbsp;Samuel 12:14-15<\/span><span id=\"001Samuel122525\" class=\"verse\" data-verse=\"1 Samuel 12:25\">, 25<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">;<\/span> <span id=\"00Daniel417\" class=\"verse\">Daniel 4:17<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If God wanted our troops protected, God would do it <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Psalm3316\" class=\"verse\">Psalm 33:16<\/span><span class=\"unbold\">,<\/span> <span id=\"00Proverbs2131\" class=\"verse\">Proverbs 21:31<\/span><\/strong>, etc.). And He would do it <em>whether you asked Him to do it or not.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Again: I\u2019m not saying we shouldn\u2019t pray. The Bible is full of examples and commands to pray. But prayer <em>as practiced today<\/em> makes absolutely no sense at all.<\/p>\n<p>So what does?<\/p>\n<p>Many people would say they pray to \u201cget to know God better,\u201d or \u201cto visit with my Father,\u201d or \u201cto spend time with God.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So let\u2019s say you and I are on a road trip. And for 400 miles you don\u2019t shut up about every trivial event in your life, your hopes and dreams, your fears and failures. At the end of that trip\u2026 can you really say that YOU know ME better?<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, prayer does <em>nothing<\/em> to help you get to know God better; it\u2019s just free therapy. Talk to God, talk to your cat, talk to a psychiatrist; as far as knowing the other person better, it\u2019s all the same. <em>Because that\u2019s not what prayer is for!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>God is our Father; and \u201cpray\u201d is just an archaic English word meaning \u201cask.\u201d So if you want to truly understand what prayer is for, think about what you might ask your human father for.<\/p>\n<p>As a child, did you ask your father to put food on the table? Of course not! What father would have to be told to FEED his children??<\/p>\n<p>Did you ask him to clothe you? Give you a place to live? <em>Of course not!<\/em> If it was at all possible, your father would have done those things for you\u2026 <em><strong>before you were old enough to talk!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Did you ask him to protect you from bad influences? To teach you to be a better person? To correct you when you were wrong? To take you to the doctor when you were sick, to save up for your college fund, to build an inheritance for you?<\/p>\n<p>Of course not; if he were a good father, and if it were at all possible, <em>he would have done all of these things before you asked;<\/em> and he would have done them even if you had NEVER asked!<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>And he probably would be insulted that you thought you HAD to ask in the first place!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Ironically, most Christians would tell you that \u201cprayer shows faith in God.\u201d But if someone asks you to take care of their cat while they\u2019re out of town, and then texts you every hour to remind you to feed it, clean the litter box, and generally make sure it\u2019s alright\u2026 wouldn\u2019t that annoy you?<\/p>\n<p>Their constant badgering doesn\u2019t show faith in you; the exact opposite, in fact! It proves they think you don\u2019t <em>know<\/em> how to do what you agreed to do<em>,<\/em> don\u2019t <em>care<\/em> about their pet<em>,<\/em> or are just <em>not competent<\/em> to care for it!<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"00Matthew678\">Matthew 6:7-8<\/span> NKJV<\/strong><em>And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For <strong>they think that they will be heard for their many words<\/strong>. Therefore do not be like them. For <strong>your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Likewise, prayer does not show faith in God.<\/strong> In fact, it shows the precise opposite: your fear that God <em>isn\u2019t<\/em> going to save you. And sadly, most prayers stem from the fear that <em>God doesn\u2019t know about you, doesn\u2019t care about you, or is incapable of saving you!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Take a common prayer like \u201cLord, watch over everyone on their way home from church.\u201d Did God not <em>already<\/em> promise that in places like <strong><span id=\"10Psalm9112\" class=\"verse\">Psalm 91:12<\/span><\/strong> and <strong><span id=\"10Matthew2820\" class=\"verse\">Matthew 28:20<\/span><\/strong>? Has He forgotten to watch over you? <em>So what possible point could there be in reminding Him to do what He\u2019s already supposed to do??<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I know that\u2019s terribly disturbing; but be honest:<\/p>\n<p><em>Why tell God your problems, unless you thought He didn\u2019t know?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Why remind God of His promises, unless you think He forgot them?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Why tell God how to fix things, unless you didn\u2019t think He can\u2019t figure it out on His own?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I feel like I need to say once more that <strong>this doesn\u2019t mean you<\/strong> <em><strong>shouldn\u2019t pray<\/strong>&nbsp;&ndash;<\/em> although you should probably pray a lot less. But you need to pray <em>correctly, in a way that makes sense!<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>95% or more of all prayers people make to God are about things<\/strong> <em><strong>they would never think to ask their human father for when they were children!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>If you could have that kind of faith in your FALLIBLE, HUMAN father, the FAITH to <em>not bother to ask him for things you KNOW he will provide\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Why can\u2019t you show that kind of faith in GOD?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The world\u2019s religions and the Christian religion look at prayer the same; Christian and heathen alike, as Jesus said <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"21Matthew67\" class=\"verse\">Matthew 6:7<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. As if God was eager to hear their repetitive prayers droning on in archaic languages (Latin, KJV English, Hebrew, Greek, Sanskrit, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>As if God looked forward to endless and practically identical prayers repeated daily and hourly across the world about blessings and help and watch over and guide and thanks and praise and holy name and bless this food and make it nourishing and thank you for it amen until God feels the same way about them as you feel about this sentence\u2026 like it needs to stop <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"10Isaiah11215\" class=\"verse\">Isaiah 1:12-15<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>These are not my opinions; these are things that have been in your Bible all along, things most people just read right past without thinking about it.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"30Matthew625\">Matthew 6:25<\/span> NKJV<\/strong> <em>\u201cTherefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Most prayers are about jobs, health, guidance, protection\u2026 something you need. Now there are certainly times when we might wonder how we\u2019re going to get out of this problem. And there are certainly times we might be very afraid for our future. <strong>But that is, by definition a lack of faith&nbsp;&ndash; faith in God\u2019s awareness, His ability, and His willingness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"40Matthew63132\">Matthew 6:31-32<\/span> NKJV<\/strong><em>\u201cTherefore do not worry, saying, \u2018What shall we eat?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we drink?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we wear?\u2019 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For <strong>your heavenly Father knows<\/strong> that you need all these things.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>No one who truly believes these words will ever again ask God for food, water, clothes, or the jobs, money, and skills it takes to get them<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><u>That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s a sin to ask!<\/u> You might; I might\u2026 but the fact that we <em>ask<\/em> proves we <em>doubt<\/em> that God will do it <em>by Himself,<\/em> as He promised He would! It proves we think He has forgotten about us, about His promise!<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t pretend you don\u2019t doubt if you do; if you doubt, ASK! Let God show that He can and will do it! <strong>But don\u2019t say this shows faith, when anyone can see it shows the opposite.<\/strong> And certainly don\u2019t think that God <em>wants<\/em> you to nag Him to do what He already intended to do!<\/p>\n<p>So why pray at all? As always, listen to the Bible\u2026 it\u2019s been telling you all along!<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"00Mark1124\">Mark 11:24<\/span><\/strong> <em>Therefore I say unto you, <strong>What things soever ye desire<\/strong>, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>If you\u2019re afraid God has forgotten you, by all means, pray for your needs. It doesn\u2019t show faith, but then you may not <em>have<\/em> faith and there\u2019s no shame in facing that fact&nbsp;&ndash; and starting here, to build faith.<\/p>\n<p>But prayer\u2019s primary purpose is to give you things you <em>desire.<\/em> Not need&nbsp;&ndash; desire. There\u2019s a difference. You never asked your father for food as a child; <em>you asked for a bike.<\/em> Not for a roof over your head; but for a car.<\/p>\n<p>Things you wanted, wanted so bad they might have <em>felt<\/em> like needs\u2026 but not needs <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"001nbspTimothy68\" class=\"verse\">1&nbsp;Timothy 6:8<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><span class=\"unbold\">.<\/span> If you WANT something from God, ask; if you\u2019re in His good graces, and it doesn\u2019t interfere with His plans for you, why wouldn\u2019t He give it to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"001nbspJohn32122\">1&nbsp;John 3:21-22<\/span> NKJV<\/strong> <em>Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But these are <em>wants<\/em>, not <em>needs.<\/em> We might <em>want<\/em> a wife; or a child; or to know the answer to a certain problem. <em>Wants.<\/em> God wants us to be as happy as is possible in this life&nbsp;&ndash; without compromising His other purposes.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"00James43\">James 4:3<\/span> NKJV<\/strong> <em>You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Do you really want a new car? Or do you just want to <em>show off<\/em> a new car to your friends? There\u2019s a difference; one is fine, one is not. One prayer God might answer; the other He certainly won\u2019t.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"41Matthew63132\">Matthew 6:31-32<\/span> NKJV<\/strong> <em>But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But what if you <em>don\u2019t<\/em> seek first the Kingdom of God? What if you <em>don\u2019t<\/em> \u201cdo those things that are pleasing in His sight?\u201d <em>Then it stands to reason that these things <strong>wouldn\u2019t be added to you!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>And, as with your human father, the solution isn\u2019t to ask <em>again and again and again\u2026<\/em> the solution is to <strong>be a better child<\/strong>, so your father can again bless you&nbsp;&ndash; instead of sending you to bed hungry, grounding you, and taking your toys away!<\/p>\n<p>Because every child knows, when your father is mad at you is <em>not<\/em> the time to ask him for things!<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"101nbspJohn516\">1&nbsp;John 5:16<\/span> NKJV<\/strong> <em>If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. <strong>I do NOT say that he should pray about that<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Can you imagine saying to your brother \u201cno, I won\u2019t pray for you?\u201d Even under the most extreme circumstances, for the worst sins? If not, <em>then there is a great deal about prayer you don\u2019t understand.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Imagine what would happen if a Christian were asked \u201cpray for me!\u201d and he responded \u201cwhy should I?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Can you imagine the shock and scorn he would be faced with? Yet the Bible commands us to do that. <em>We aren\u2019t supposed to pray for everyone!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Christians today feel it is their duty to beg, bribe, and plead with God about every stranger\u2019s problems. But as always\u2026 Does God not <em>know?<\/em> Does He not <em>care?<\/em> Does He not <em>have a plan?<\/em> <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"60Matthew545\" class=\"verse\">Matthew 5:45<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If someone is hungry and cold, it is because<em> <strong>God chose not to provide these things.<\/strong> <\/em>And if God has not blessed someone with food then by all means&nbsp;&ndash; give them food <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Romans1220\" class=\"verse\">Romans 12:20<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. But before you ask <em>GOD<\/em> to feed them and bless them\u2026 <strong>ask yourself if this is your problem?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"10Proverbs2617\">Proverbs 26:17<\/span> NKJV<\/strong> <em>He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Let\u2019s consider your human brother and father again, to better understand how this works. If your brother steals a car, he deserves to be punished by your father. Surely you agree?<\/p>\n<p>Now if your brother comes to you and says \u201cthis punishment sucks, talk to Dad and try and get him to lighten up,\u201d what should you do?<\/p>\n<p>This is a serious crime, and for the sake of everyone&nbsp;&ndash; including your brother&nbsp;&ndash; he needs to learn that this isn\u2019t acceptable. And while you may feel sorry for your grounded brother, <em>that doesn\u2019t meant he should get off so easy!<\/em> <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Hebrews1217\" class=\"verse\">Hebrews 12:17<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>You may hope for his sake this is over soon\u2026 but to ask your father for leniency, you would need a very good reason, something like \u201cDad, I\u2019m sure he\u2019s learned his lesson\u201d; \u201cDad, it was really my fault\u201d; \u201cDad, the punishment is unfair, no one should suffer like this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So first, your brother would need to convince <em>you<\/em> that his suffering was unfair; and then, you\u2019d need to come up with a pretty compelling argument to get your father to change his mind.<\/p>\n<p>Right? I mean, this is how we\u2019d all handle this. <strong>So why does no one handle prayer this way?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If someone wants you to pray for them, <em>it\u2019s on them to convince you why they deserve mercy!<\/em> And if you want God to change His mind about them, <em>it\u2019s on you to convince Him why He should!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Remember: God is doing all of this for their own good. So before you ask Him to <em>stop doing that<\/em> and do something <em>you think is better for them,<\/em> you need a <em><strong>very<\/strong> <\/em><strong>well reasoned and convincing argument!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What did this person do to offend God? <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"20Isaiah5912\" class=\"verse\">Isaiah 59:1-2<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. Have they forgiven their enemies? <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"10Mark112526\" class=\"verse\">Mark 11:25-26<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. Have they repented to their brother? <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"70Matthew52324\" class=\"verse\">Matthew 5:23-24<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. Have they learned their lesson? <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Job4256\" class=\"verse\">Job 42:5-6<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. Have they confessed their sins <em>to you?<\/em> <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"10James51516\" class=\"verse\">James 5:15-16<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If not\u2026 WHY should God change His mind\u2026 when they haven\u2019t changed the <em>reason<\/em> His mind was set that way to begin with?<\/p>\n<p>And if you don\u2019t know these things\u2026 <strong>then why are YOU involved in this, again?<\/strong> Just to remind God to remember a person <em>He never forgot<\/em>?<\/p>\n<p>To remind Him, the One who <em>died<\/em> for their sins, <em>to care about them?<\/em> To helpfully suggest He STOP doing the thing HE BELIEVES is best for their spiritual growth?<\/p>\n<p>So look at the people you know, their suffering, and their problems. Is God being unfair? Does He not know how hard it is to be a human? <strong><span id=\"10Hebrews415\" class=\"verse\">Hebrews 4:15<\/span><\/strong>. If you think He might have forgotten, <em>then remind Him!<\/em> <strong>Because that\u2019s what prayer is for<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Prayer is to CHANGE GOD\u2019S MIND. It can certainly be done; it happened all the time in the Bible. <em><strong>When people went about it the right way<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>But it takes great courage and wisdom&nbsp;&ndash; or incredible foolishness and arrogance&nbsp;&ndash; to venture to correct God\u2019s judgment.<\/p>\n<p>When you say \u201cyes, I\u2019ll be happy to pray for you!\u201d to every person who asks, without any questions or knowledge of the situation whatsoever\u2026 which are you demonstrating?<\/p>\n<p><strong>And why would God want you to weigh in at all?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Prayer is, by definition, a <em>request<\/em> for God to do something your way instead of the way He was <em>already<\/em> doing it. <strong>Remember:<\/strong> the only reason you\u2019re talking to Him is to CHANGE that will.<\/p>\n<p>So why do most people conclude their prayers \u201cnot my will, by thine, be done?\u201d <strong>Because saying that is literally telling God to ignore your prayer!<\/strong> Consider <strong><span id=\"10Luke2242\" class=\"verse\">Luke 22:42<\/span><\/strong>; did this thing Jesus asked for happen? Of course not! Because Jesus specifically told God <em>to ignore everything He just asked for!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>When you say \u201cLord, heal this person, but not my will, thy will be done\u201d\u2026 that\u2019s exactly what God does: whatever He was <em>going<\/em> to do before you opened your mouth!<\/p>\n<p>So <em>make up your mind!<\/em> Do you want Him to do it His way, <strong>as He already is<\/strong>, or to do it YOUR WAY? Because \u201cthy will be done\u201d is literally saying \u201cyou know what God\u2026 forget I said anything.\u201d <em>Just as it would be, if you said those words to your human father!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Prayer is about getting God to substitute our will for His own. Remember, <strong>God\u2019s will<\/strong> <em><strong>was<\/strong> <\/em><strong>being done before you said anything!<\/strong> God has a plan, and when He is ready to lift a punishment, He will.<\/p>\n<p>But if you feel compelled by pity, or by a sense of injustice, feel free to tell God how you feel. <em>But make a case&nbsp;&ndash; not a plea. <strong>Change His mind!<\/strong> <\/em>It happens, and it\u2019s not even that hard to do!<\/p>\n<p>God\u2019s mind was changed regularly in the Bible; consider Moses\u2019 prayer in <strong><span id=\"00Exodus321114\" class=\"verse\">Exodus 32:11-14<\/span><\/strong>. But God changed His mind <em>because Moses REMINDED HIM<\/em> of how this would look to Egypt; REMINDED HIM that this judgment might contradict an earlier promise of His. Moses made a case!<\/p>\n<p>God had no doubt already been aware of these potential problems; and God had already figured a way around them <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Exodus3210verse10\" class=\"verse\" data-verse=\"Exodus 32:10\">verse 10<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. <strong>But God still allowed Himself to be swayed<\/strong><em><strong>.<\/strong> <\/em>Why?<\/p>\n<p>Was God\u2019s initial judgment <em>not<\/em> just? Had God indeed forgotten His promise? Both are doubtful. So why would He change His mind? <strong>Because Moses asked Him to do so<\/strong>. And so God did Moses\u2019 will instead of His own.<\/p>\n<p>God had clearly stated that His will was to kill most of the Israelites, justly, for their sins <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"10Exodus3279verses79\" class=\"verse\" data-verse=\"Exodus 32:7-9\">verses 7-9<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. Moses wanted something <em>different from God\u2019s will.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>And God was fond of Moses;<\/em> so God agreed to do it Moses\u2019 way <strong>even though, since it was Moses\u2019 plan and not God\u2019s, it probably was not the best way!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s think about that for a moment; if Moses hadn\u2019t interceded here and changed God\u2019s mind, <strong>Moses would have been among the sole survivors and the ancestor of the Israelite nation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Moses then wouldn\u2019t have had rebellious people to delay his entry to the Promised Land for forty more years <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Numbers14\" class=\"verse\">Numbers 14<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>With no stubborn Israelites, he wouldn\u2019t have then gotten frustrated and hit the rock <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"10Numbers20\" class=\"verse\">Numbers 20<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Which means he wouldn\u2019t have been locked out of the Promised Land by God <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Deuteronomy32627\" class=\"verse\">Deuteronomy 3:26-27<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>So in the end\u2026 wouldn\u2019t Moses\u2019 life have been a LOT better had he simply trusted God <strong>and kept his mouth shut?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Think about that, next time you try to change God\u2019s mind<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But if changing God\u2019s mind is so bad\u2026 why would He let us do it at all? That\u2019s the best part!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Prayer exists for us to ask God for whatever we want; not for us to talk God\u2019s ear off, and not to weigh in with our opinion about every trivial problem any of seven billion strangers might have. That\u2019s what Twitter is for.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"201nbspJohn514\">1&nbsp;John 5:14<\/span> NKJV<\/strong> <em>Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But God\u2019s will is not cast in stone, and when we think we know a better way, God will often let us do it that way; <strong>even if He knows it\u2019s not the best way!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Because generally, what we\u2019ll learn is that if we simply had let God do it His way, we\u2019d have been happier in the long run&nbsp;&ndash; even though we couldn\u2019t imagine how at the time.<\/p>\n<p>God alters His will for us because that\u2019s the far greater reason prayer exists; far beyond our selfish needs and petty wants. It presents an opportunity for us to learn to ask things according to His will <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Ephesians517\" class=\"verse\">Ephesians 5:17<\/span><span class=\"unbold\">,<\/span><span id=\"370Ephesians1919\" class=\"verse\" data-verse=\"Ephesians 1:9\"> 1:9<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>When we go to God to ask for toys and perks that we want, we should learn from receiving them, or not, what God\u2019s will was. <strong>And from that, what our own will should be!<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"11Romans122\">Romans 12:2<\/span> NKJV<\/strong> <em>And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, <strong>that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>When we ask God to help those around us or to forgive their sins, He\u2019ll often give them the benefit of the doubt because we asked Him to do so\u2026 and then we should watch closely what happens next.<\/p>\n<p>Because more often than not, before long you\u2019ll see why God was more skeptical of their repentance than you naively were, as they repeat the same mistakes that led to their problem in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>And you\u2019ll realize that God was not wrong to put them in that situation before, and not wrong to leave them there <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Galatians67\" class=\"verse\">Galatians 6:7<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>. But sometimes, you\u2019ll learn that <strong><span id=\"20Luke747\" class=\"verse\">Luke 7:47<\/span><\/strong> is true.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll learn this in a way <em>you couldn\u2019t learn<\/em> without this interaction with God; and next time, hopefully, <strong>you\u2019ll be a little more cautious about whom you vouch for with God<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Next time, hopefully, you\u2019ll be a little wiser in telling the difference between someone who wants to change and be a better person\u2026 and someone who just wants the punishment to stop.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The real question though is\u2026 which are you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Do you want me to beg God to bless you\u2026 or would you rather just be the kind of person <em>God would be unrighteous NOT to bless?<\/em> <strong><span id=\"20Hebrews610\" class=\"verse\">Hebrews 6:10<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Would you rather be a person who must suck up to God on an hourly basis just to get your daily bread\u2026 or a person whom God blesses because He feels like it?<\/p>\n<p>Being that kind of person means you have to change what you are. It means unlearning everything you think you know, and letting the Bible teach you the truth instead.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s what the Bible Study Course I offer is about. It\u2019s about <em>using the tools God gave us to become what God wants us to be.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s about listening to the Bible, instead of the accumulated traditions of centuries. It\u2019s about removing every reason God might have for cursing you <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"00Joel21214\" class=\"verse\">Joel 2:12-14<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>, and using the Bible <em>alone<\/em> to explain everything you ever wanted to know.<\/p>\n<p>If these are things you want, then <strong>you need to enroll for free below<\/strong>. If you want to be a better person so that God will give you things <em>before<\/em> you ask <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"30Isaiah6524\" class=\"verse\">Isaiah 65:24<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>, it starts now.<\/p>\n<p>If you work towards being that person, then God Himself will add all these things to you; because you will at last be <em>\u201cSeeking first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness\u201d<\/em> <strong><span class=\"make_blue\">(<\/span><span id=\"80Matthew633\" class=\"verse\">Matthew 6:33<\/span><span class=\"make_blue\">)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>And then you won\u2019t need me, or anyone else, not even Jesus Himself, to pray for you\u2026<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"verse-highlight\"><strong><span id=\"30John1626\">John 16:26<\/span> (GWV)<\/strong> <em>When that day comes, you will ask for what you <u><strong>want<\/strong><\/u> in my name. I\u2019m telling you that <strong>I won\u2019t have to ask the Father for you.<\/strong> The Father loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe style=\"border: medium none; height: 105px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/index.php?route=account\/register_iframe\" onload=\"resizeIframe(this)\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019m not saying we shouldn\u2019t pray, far from it. But prayer as understood by pretty much every Christian in the world is simply irrational. The average prayer goes something like this \u201cLord,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[31,46,34],"class_list":["post-1690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-start-here","tag-faith","tag-golden-rule","tag-prayer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1690"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3612,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1690\/revisions\/3612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesimpleanswers.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}