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My faith crisis was largely precipitated by what I perceived as the failure of prayer. I was a devout adherent to the Church’s teachings, yet I wasn’t getting the things I was praying for. I finally concluded that God doesn’t answer any prayers at all. But now prayer seems different to me. Perhaps it’s a method of self-knowing, or a way to connect with something greater or beyond. I still struggle with the idea that God answers petitionary prayers, especially selfish prayers (i.e. “God, please help me to score well on this test.”) I’m also having trouble with the idea that prayer is a way of aligning my will with God’s will because I doubt that an anthropomorphic God exists, so I’m not sure that God has a will or an agenda.
So what is prayer for you?
Prayer is a means of being grateful for all the good things in life and dealing with the unpleasant things. It has helped me in ways that are mysterious. I like to think of prayer as a meditation. Its a way to echo your thoughts back and help you solve your own problems or reflect on your joys. I’m in transition and still figuring things out. Right now prayer is a way to set an example for the kids. I say things like “Please help us to be nice to each other” and stuff like that. I haven’t said a personal prayer in years. But I’m working on it. I like the idea of using it to meditate and want to try that soon. For me, prayer is an attempt to connect with deity / the divine / the highest good / the power behind it all / the best that is within us / whatever. Since I hope for the kind of God I described in the other thread (charitable Heavenly Parents), I pray to that God. I have had experiences that lead me to believe in a personal God, but I understand completely that other people haven’t – and I don’t know why that is. I have contemplated that question for long enough to reach the conclusion that I don’t know.
I’m fine with that.
Daeruin wrote:I’m in transition and still figuring things out. Right now prayer is a way to set an example for the kids. I say things like “Please help us to be nice to each other” and stuff like that. I haven’t said a personal prayer in years. But I’m working on it. I like the idea of using it to meditate and want to try that soon.
I’m with Daeruin! I see prayer and particularly priesthood blessings as ways to express our hopes and dreams for each other.
(incidentally, I have witnessed several prayer circles at the Assembly of God church and the outpouring of love and support for the individual being prayed for seems very powerful. I know that Mormon Prayer Circles were at one time performed outside the temple but I wonder how they really operated. Would a Mormon Prayer Circle ever have been performed for a specific person or a particular hardship?
:think: )Yes, Roy, they have been and still could be. They simply aren’t common in our culture anymore. I think you will like the following:
“To the Pastor” (
http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/05/03/to-the-pastor/ )Thank you Curtis! That was a great post. It really speaks to me about the value of our rites and symbols even if they don’t contain metaphysical power. Curtis wrote:Yes, Roy, they have been and still could be. They simply aren’t common in our culture anymore.
I think you will like the following:
“To the Pastor” (
http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/05/03/to-the-pastor/ )Organized prayer circles were common in priesthood quorums and in stakes up until 1978 and then were all finally totally disbanded. They had been held in the temples and in special rooms in ward and stake buildings that were designated for use.
Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000, pp. 224,279,433-434, by Devery Anderson. When I was in the mission home in SLC in 1964 we were specifically told not to form prayer circles. On a personal note about 11-12 years ago while in the middle of a divorce I was attending an episcopal church along with ours and was going to a monthly contemplative prayer service. There were about 5-6 of us there and because of the stress and upset in my life, I broke down and started sobbing. The priest had me kneel at the altar rail and everyone surrounded me, laid on hands and prayed for me and I felt better. Maybe it was just the support of good people, I don’t know but it clearly made a difference.
I don’t understand prayer either really. I pray often. I don’t pray as often as I am told I should pray. There was one particular struggle in my life that I prayed a lot. Guess what! Nothing happened. I became very disillusioned. In fact, I believe I was even angry. After stewing for a week or so, I knelt again and prayed. I cried and pleaded and asked what he wanted. I cannot explain it but there was this immense peace that came over me. I swear I heard the words I love you. The prayer where I was asking never got answered. Yet, I got the I love you response. It gave me hope for a while. So, what is prayer?
1. I still don’t know.
2. It seems to work at times.
3. Maybe it just gives us time to hear what we know we want to hear.
4. I believe it is a ritual that is over done at times. (Like having a prayer and a devotional before cleaning the church).
Like you IM, my FC was in large part precipitated by lack of answers to prayers. For me the jury is still out on the subject, like it is with so many other things. I currently pray very little and I don’t believe most prayers are answered – although I do understand people who believe their prayers have been answered and respect the testimony of others. My current view is that prayer is a form of worship where we should perhaps give thanks and at most ask for forgiveness. I particularly do not believe God answers prayers seeking temporal blessings, but he may sometimes answer prayers seeking spiritual blessings – although I have not had that experience. OK, I just had a cool experience with prayer. I’ve been very worried about a certain situation, so I knelt and prayed to Heavenly Father/The Universe/The Laws of Physics and Randomness. I expressed my desires, and expressed that I wanted to stop worrying about it. In my mind, the answer came as I thought it through, and I feel much less anxious now. I’m pretty excited. It totally worked. At this point I don’t really think that I got an answer from a divine being, but I feel that I worked through it and answered my own question. That’s great! That is what prayer sometimes is like for me too when I have a problem to deal with. It’s pretty cool, huh. Loved reading this thread. Thank you. I totally cried because I desperately WANT to believe in a Higher Power, but I also don’t believe that we can pray for X,Y, Z and that it is just going to magically be taken away, or given to us. But I do feel that I believe I receive peace when I need it. Even reading about how other receive peace gives me peace.
I love reading about the prayer circle. Very interesting. These jury is still out for me as well, but these posts helped me greatly today! Thanks for posting!
Here is to hope and peace and in finding joy in the journey of higher-self discovery.
opentofreedom wrote:
I totally cried because I desperately WANT to believe in a Higher Power, but I also don’t believe that we can pray for X,Y, Z and that it is just going to magically be taken away, or given to us.
I think that we can agree that there is a Higher Power in the universe than you or I because we certainly aren’t the most powerful entities in the universe. The laws of physics are more powerful than me because they control me, but I cannot cannot control them. We are all governed by these laws, and so I consider them to be a Higher Power.
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