The Power of Prayer

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   Little wondersposted 11 years ago

   Do you believe in the power of prayer? I have found that whenever I pray to God, it is like something comes over me in the sense that I know he is going to take care of me and my situation. Don't you think if we trusted in God a little more, things would work out. I know I would not worry so much!

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      Ms Deeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hmm, I think for me it is when I trust God a little more, then the eyes of my heart see better that God is working things out for His good. Assured of His working, my worries die down.

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      pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Trusting yourself is trusting God. Prayer bypasses the 'self' that does not realize ones connection to God. It therefore taps into the whole. Always useful.

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      paradigmsearchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      .
      Two people are standing on a mountain road. A giant boulder is suddenly rolling directly at them. One person immediately bows his head and prays for the boulder to stop. The other person steps out of the way. Which one lives and which one dies?
      
      Therein lies the answer to your question.

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      Titen-Sxullposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I used to get the same feeling when I was a Christian but that's just it, it was just a feeling. For my life to change I still had to act, prayer changed nothing. Indeed if you think critically about it that's always the way it is. You can always trace the causality of change back to something natural, rational, etc.
      
      Visit a cemetery, chances are a majority of those folks were believers of one sort or another. Some of them no doubt died young, perhaps in battle even. Do you think that prayer had any power for them? NOPE, they're dead just like we all someday will be.
      
      What about all the children who die of cancer or other horrible diseases each year? Many of their parents pray desperately and yet still end up lowering their children into the cold ground. And then the only excuse people can come up with for why God was so callous and cruel is that he "works in mysterious ways" or "just needed another angel" or some other platitude that serves only as an insult to throw salt on the wound.
      
      Prayer's only true power is to delude people.

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      TJenkins602posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I believe in the power of prayer, or the power of the subconscious mind.

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      Quilligrapherposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Little Wonders. I read your first hub and I learned a lot about the difficulties of your journey. I can see how your faith works in your favor and I encourage you to hold on tightly to what you know works for you.
      
      I also read all the replies above. I hope you will allow me the share a few of my own thoughts about the power of prayer. My good and compassionate friend Earnest tells us he prefers potatoes over prayer…
      
      Some of the another responders think prayer is a lazy, useless substitute for action…
      
      In short, they and others all seem to agree that prayer has no value and accomplishes nothing.  Apparently, they do not pray themselves and, therefore, I can truly understand why they feel the way they do. However, if they don’t pray themselves then I would suspect they have no idea just how valuable praying might be for those who do.
      
      Consider this:
      1. There is a body of research supporting the likelihood that individual and group prayer can evoke physical changes in the human body albiet not on a consistent and predictable basis.
      
      Harvard scientist Herbert Benson, MD, after 30 years of research documented by MRI brain scans, concluded all forms of meditation and prayer trigger a relaxation response that quells stress, quiets the body, and promotes healing. (1) In another prayer-recovery study conducted in St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, the health outcomes of nearly 1,000 newly admitted heart patients were  monitored and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. This research team, headed by William Harris, Ph.D, used a lengthy list of events that could happen to cardiac patients such as chest pains, pneumonia, infection, and death. They concluded that the group receiving prayers fared 11 percent better than the group that didn’t, a number considered statistically significant.(2)
      
      There have been many other studies designed to find a correlation between prayer and health and they all share controversy and conflicting results. While they neither support nor disprove the existence of God, they do hint that prayer appears to cause measurable, therapeutic results. 
      
      2. Placebo Effect: A Cure in the Mind
      Scientific American says, “Belief is powerful medicine, even if the treatment itself is a sham. New research shows placebos can also benefit patients who do not have faith in them.” (3) The Placebo Effect is a statistically recognized norm in medical double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials.  Research indicates that faux-drug therapies are effective in 30 to 60% of all cases  Before I would minimize the power of prayer, I would ask myself this question: if a patient can be physically cured by his faith in a sugar pill, can he also be physically cured by his belief in prayer?     
      Thank you, Little Wonders, for your kind consideration. Although my opinions about prayer, medicine, and the psyche may not be worth a sack of potatoes, I tend to agree with Secularist10 who said up above…
      
      
      
      (1) http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/ … ekey=50874
      (2)http://articles.cnn.com/2000-01-18/heal … =PM:HEALTH
      (3) http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic … n-the-mind

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      heavenbound5511posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Prayer does work- God answers prayers.
      
      It is good to trust God through the good times and bad times. Always keep his words before your eyes and in your heart so that you will remember to do them.
      This where we learn that God is always on time and never to late. We can even pray that God causes us to stand and that we will be strengthened so we will not enter into temptation. Always pray in the name of Jesus- there is power in His name!
      We are to do all to stand -pray, fast, know God's word, trust, and praise God- This is how so many people of God stood in the midst of trouble,  war, famine plus more.
      Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.> Heb 12:2
      And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.> Rev 12:11

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      leola francisposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      YES LITTLE WONDER I AGREE 100% WITH WHAT YOU SAY
      TRUST AND OBEY FOR THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY
      THIS IS A VERY OLD SONG BUT STILL TRUE TODAY
      LEOLA

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   Taleb80posted 11 years ago

   Sure. when I pray I feel that everything is getting easier, I feel more confident.
   That is very common in our life, for example when a small weak boy is beaten by a stronger one, he will cry painfully & go directly to ask his father's support. Do you know how much he feels confident when his dad come with him?
   So now if your creator support you & you believe this, how is your feelings?
   You are sure more confident, brave, happy, encouraged..etc.

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   earnestshubposted 11 years ago

   I believe in the power of potatoes, not the power of prayer. If prayer worked there would be a hundred million children eating tonight, then sleeping in a safe warm bed.
   
   To think that personal prayer works one needs to consider how many million or billion prayers go out each day from those who are dying of hunger and thirst.
   
   Or are they all the great unworthy and unlike you they suffer because they don't pray properly, or are not as good a person as you?
   
   Many of them share your beliefs, do you think they are doing better than their neighbour? Have you even thought about what you are claiming?
   
   Do you find it even a little bit statistically implausible that despite countless billions of daily prayers not one has been proven in over 2,000 years of prayer? Do you believe that with the vast majority of the planet being religious this has got us in to good shape?
   
   Do you still think prohibition is "the right road" to eliminating drugs despite 13 black years in America caused by the last time the zealots got the reigns?
   Wasn't the US economy handed over to the Mafia for those years, most of them strong church going believers?
   I wonder what they prayed for?
   
   Megalomania is an evil disease in my view, it blinds people to other than self.

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      pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Perhaps if we considered that there are other variables in play with the processes of life we might see a bigger picture?
      
      Prayer is a process working amongst an infinite amount of other processes which all affect and interact with each other. Producing not only the results you are describing but many others that are still coming into being.
      
      How does one therefore change the infinite changing nature of 'all' these processes?
      
      Prayer is one avenue. Doing is another. Giving another. All these processes are conscious choices to try and affect the desired change. Does one therefore stop and not bother preferring to allow the unconscious nature of ourselves to affect the change or do we continue to do whatever we consciously choose to affect the desired change.
      
      Not realizing that what we think and do affects everything and everyone that exists, for me, is far more deadlier than meglomania.
      
      Starting with our own awareness however is a good start. If we are more aware of what we are connected to the more less about self it becomes.

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         A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Prayer seems more like a lack of trying to affect desired change. Doing and giving are the only ones that will actually succeed.
         
         Praying is just being lazy and satisfying ones own self interest that they actually did something useful.
         
         We might equate it to voting, for example. People who love to complain about politics and the things politicians do with their money, but they won't take the time to come out and vote.

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            pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            What it seems like and what it actually is can be two very different things. We may never know if we don’t know the person. Success is subject to how one perceives the world and everything in it. Doing and giving has not succeeded in feeding the poor. It has not succeeded in many areas where there is lack or disharmony in a purely physical sense. Does that not indicate that our efforts are falling short somewhere?
            
            We are sentient beings with a physical body.  We are therefore both physical and non physical and both aspects are energetic in nature to a greater or lesser degree (depends) and do affect all things. If we discard our sentient nature we are not acknowledging our whole self. We are negating a part of ourselves that plays a role along with our physical self. A part that interacts in more ways than can be imagined in the intricate web of life along with our physical presence.
            
            Thoughts and emotions however great or small (including prayers) ripple in, around and through physical existence but are not seen with the physical eyes, so I understand why it can be easily discarded and perceived as lazy to some

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               A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Prayer has done nothing to feed the poor, disharmony or otherwise. We have done far more to feed the poor by doing and giving.
               
               
               
               How are we "non physical"?
               
               
               
               Sorry, have no idea what you're talking about.

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                  pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  How do you know that prayer has done nothing? Is it like the nothing that physical giving and doing appears not to be doing either? If so ok.
                  
                  Are emotions, thoughts physical or non physical to you? They certainly aren't solid like an arm or leg are they?
                  
                  No worries about the rest of my post.

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                     A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     I'm wondering if you actually have a grasp of reality? Are you saying that physically giving and doing does absolutely nothing? This is the claim you are making, right?
                     
                     
                     
                     Emotions and thoughts are physical, based entirely on the human body. Did you not go to school and learn these things?
                     
                     Seriously. You must be joking here.

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                        pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        Haha! Whether or not I have a grasp on physical reality is subject to your perception. What ever you decide is up to you?
                        
                        No I wasn't claiming that. If you read my post I said "appears" meaning all the giving in the doing from an observation point of view appears to be having little or no effect. There are still millions of starving people dying daily in the world. Many more that are homeless and the list goes on.
                        
                        The same with prayers. It appears the same way. Yet you claim it doesn't have an effect. How do you qualify that statement from an observation point of view?
                        
                        Either approach "appears" to not have had an effect for sure. Yet what it appears to be and what is actually occurring are not the same.
                        
                        No I didn't go to school to learn these things. I went to school because I had to. I get your point though. I don't get the relevance however.
                        
                        Joking no.
                        
                        As I said on the other thread you cannot have one without the other. Without the emotional elements we are just biological organisms unable to think or feel. Without the body our emotions are pure energy that have no physical conduit to be expressed. Like radio waves they will exist till it has a conduit.

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                           A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                           No, it's subject to what you say. For example:
                           
                           
                           
                           Obviously, you have no idea what is really occurring in the world around you. There are millions starving but there are also millions fed, due entirely from the giving of others. There are homeless but there are also people who are sheltered as a result of giving.
                           
                           
                           
                           No prayer every fed or sheltered anyone. Do you understand the difference between doing something and doing nothing. Praying is doing nothing.
                           
                           
                           
                           That would explain a lot.
                           
                           
                           
                           Yes, as you said you had to go to school.

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                              pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                              Being subject to what I say would depend on whether or not I do have a grasp on reality or whether I don’t. Since you don’t think I have, because you see reality differently then that is your perception. Has nothing to do with how it actually is. But that’s okay see how you like, even though it’s irrelevant.
                              
                              Perhaps you didn’t understand my post. “Appears” does not mean that that is how it is. It just looks that way. If you read my previous posts I indicate that we affect all things. Not just by giving and doing but by thoughts and ideas too, including prayers. The non-physical aspect I have referred to earlier that interconnect and interact with the whole of existence. I think that was the bit you had no idea about?
                              
                              So yes I do understand millions are being fed and homeless are being housed yet I think perhaps you might be missing the point.
                              
                              As I keep saying. How does one know prayer is doing nothing? How does one know that prayer was not responsible for all those who are giving and doing? How does one know they were influenced not by the power of prayer?
                              
                              For instance:
                              When someone feels loved they feel it. They cannot describe why they are influenced by it, they just know they are and do many things because of it. Prayers thoughts or ideas work in the same fashion. It also works in a negative sense.
                              
                              Negating the power of what comes from the mind is mans downfall and what binds us in ignorance and lack of awareness. The veil of illusion thickens and we are no better for it.

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                                 A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                 That is incorrect, I see reality for what it is, not some warped perception of it. You are certainly not seeing reality for what it is.
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 It doesn't "appear" that way at all, that's why I question your grasp of reality.
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 You asserted incorrectly, you didn't indicate anything, big difference.
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 That's just gobbledegook talk.
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 Your point is that prayers have something to do with that, but they don't, obviously.
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 You could substitute the word 'prayer' for bowling, flying a plane or eating a roast duck, it doesn't matter, prayer does nothing.
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 No, they don't work the same way, that is entirely wrong. Try biology 101 and work your way up from there to understand how the body works.
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 More gobbledegook talk.

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                                    pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                    Do you think we are going around in circles here?
                                    
                                    I won't go there again about whether or not I have or have not got a grip on reality because I responded on the other thread. That's your perception. OK
                                    
                                    If it doesn't appear that millions are still starving for you. Ok. I didn't say it is not having an effect, which you seem to be choosing not to see. That's ok too.
                                    
                                    Here is what I indicated in my first post to Earnesthub. Thats the post you replied to initially. Just in case you missed it when replying to me.
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    If the power of the mind is goobledegook for you? Then that is how it is for you. No harm no foul.

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                                       A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                       No, it isn't my perception, it is your perception of reality that is in question.
                                       
                                       
                                       
                                       Look above at your posts, that is what you said.
                                       
                                       
                                       
                                       I'm not seeing the power of the mind at work, I am seeing belief take precedence over thinking and reality. That's goobledegook.

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                                          pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                          What would you like to know about my perception of reality? If you are questioning that I am quite happy to answer direct questions. However we might need a whole new thread in an altogether section because it would fall under a totally different topic.
                                          
                                          Still not finding what you think I said? Quote the paragraph and perhaps I will know what you are talking about? Clarity can only be gained when we know what each other is pointing to.
                                          
                                          How is belief taking precedence for you? I believe wind exists. I might also believe that I can see the wind. Yet no amount of belief is going to enable me to see the wind. The reality is....whilst I cannot see the wind, I do see the effects of the wind.
                                          
                                          Same goes for the emotions etc. I can believe it exists. I might also believe that you can see emotions but that would be false and it would mean I do not have a grip on reality. If I believe I can see the effects of emotions...reality could easily confirm that.

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                                             A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                             What you are doing is limiting yourself to what you can see with your eyes and using that as your worldview.
                                             
                                             Yes, we can see the wind, we can see the atmosphere with scientific instruments, the wind is nothing more than the atmosphere in motion. We can see emotions taking place through an MRI and we can see the effects of emotions.
                                             
                                             Must be those "school of life" teachings catching up with you.

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                                                pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                                How so? I was making a point and now we are going into a whole new direction...if we eliminate the five senses, the wind continues to exists.
                                                
                                                The instruments detect the energetic activity of either wind or emotions but they do not detect the physical nature of these things because they are not physical in the same sense as say our bodies are.
                                                
                                                The instruments cannot follow the path of these energies outside the brain or in the atmosphere because we are not that advanced yet.
                                                
                                                The environmental variables that exist would make if more difficult to detect too as these variables will change the nature of energies by default.

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                                                   A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                                   Yes, they are physical, in every way, shape and form. A little education in biology will help you to understand that. Life lessons take a back seat to reality.
                                                   
                                                   
                                                   
                                                   I have no idea what you're talking about. Gobbledegook.

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                                                      pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                                      Perhaps you need to check out physics.

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                                                         A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                                         LOL! Sorry, but physics doesn't agree with you and isn't taught in life lessons.
                                                         
                                                         Notice how school lessons come into play here?

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                                                            pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                                            Ok so be it in your view. No point in discussing further as we are going around in circles.

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                                                               A Troubled Manposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                                                               Consistent dishonest behavior. Taking a stance to end a conversation because you're adamant that the ideas you imagine about the world around you agree with science even though you argue knowledge is secondary to life lessons.
                                                               
                                                               And, you want me to go and check out physics to confirm your imaginary ideas are in agreement.
                                                               
                                                               Going around in circles, indeed.

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   earnestshubposted 11 years ago

   Talking to the self, or affirmation of a desired goal may well affect outcome
   Attributing that outcome to a mythical entity that someone else of a particular faith believes in is where I draw the line.

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      pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Taking ownership is not an easy thing for some.

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         earnestshubposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I agree. Taking ownership of what we put in our minds is as important as what we put in our minds. We need to know we own a sub-conscius mind.
         
         A bit like computer programming..... rubbish in, rubbish out.

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            pennyofheavenposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Yes indeed.

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   secularist10posted 11 years ago

   "I have found that whenever I pray to God, it is like something comes over me in the sense that I know he is going to take care of me and my situation."
   
   This is a very common, well-documented and well-understood psychological phenomenon. Prayer, meditation, positive self-talk, positive thinking, or more precisely directed thinking (that is, consciously directing one's thoughts in a particular way) are all manifestations of our ability to affect our own emotional state and happiness.
   
   Long before modern science, religions developed habits, traditions, customs and rituals (of which prayer is one type) that induced certain thought patterns or emotional states in followers. These well-established and well-tested rituals, refined over thousands of years for maximum impact, are probably one of the most important reasons religion continues to attract many.
   
   If one takes time out of their day, every day, to consciously direct their thoughts in a certain way, over the months and years one will experience significant effects.
   
   The best part is that since we all have a brain, we can all reap these kinds of benefits. We don't have to believe in God or "pray" to anything.

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   prasetio30posted 11 years ago

   I really believe the power of the prayer. By praying quite often I got a motivation, powerful energy and my self confident. By praying I got a solution for my problem. I had proven this many times.

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   Lady_Eposted 11 years ago

   Prayer is important and a lot of people laugh when they are encouraged to pray. It helps give guidance, healing, protection, peace. Yes... we go through trials but prayer makes it bearable (did i spell that right? lol).
   
   Oh... I could go on and on until the cows come home...
   
   Prayer does make a difference to life.

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   IntimatEvolutionposted 11 years ago

   I personally think there is power behind prayers.  Especially when those prayers for others, are of spreading compassion or joy to others unselfishly, without asking for anything in return.  I feel there is a strong power behind the grace of prayer.  Like when people are put on prayer chains and things.  I think that does a lot of good.
   
   
   Prayers as a money making adventure, I don't think have the same impact.  I maybe wrong, but, I don't think anything like that driven by the power of money instead the power of love, works well with God.  Remember the 700 club?  Remember how you could call in and for ten dollars they supposedly would pray for you?  I always wanted to say know if God answered those prayers too.

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   earnestshubposted 11 years ago

   My reasoning is not based on a lack of prayer Q, I was a christian for some time.
   The placebo effect works whether one believes in prayer or not if it is self talk.
   
   I have as you observed, compassion for mankind.
   I have very little tolerance for pure bull*hit though.
   As I said when mentioning potatoes, if prayers worked we would have safe children in the world tonight.

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      Quilligrapherposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      G’day Earnest. 
      I would be upset to learn that my quoting you created an issue.
      
      Of course, I never intended to imply that your reasoning was based on a lack of prayer.  I think I said your statement and those of others suggested to me that you yourself do not pray. Was that conclusion wrong?
      
      The Scientific American article stated, “research shows placebos can also benefit patients.” Nothing in my post says the placebo effect is related to prayer. Perhaps I failed in my attempt to underscore the similarity between a patient healed by the placebo effect and another patient healed by focusing his mind in meditation or prayer.  I happen to see a similarity in results while others may not.
      I am aware that you choose to be impatient with those who believe differently than you but, as you know, good bull manure can, under the right circumstances, produce fine roses.
      Be well, Earnest. I enjoy reading your viewpoints.

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    Glen619posted 11 years ago

    According to me i see that God is really patient and knows what our heart desires and therefore often we pray for a thing and do not receive it and thus feel there is no God but maybe God knows what is good for you, that precise moment was not the right time for your prayer to be answered.
    
    I believe that a prayer needs to be made in humility and with a true heart for instance i knew this lady who had 4 miscarriages we prayed for her health and also that she may conceive today after 4 years she has two healthy kids.
    
    I cannot explain myself more clearly but i hope you guys get the picture

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       earnestshubposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       While the world starves. What a pile of bull!

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    earnestshubposted 11 years ago

    Well Q I would think I have plenty of patience in general, but being somewhat of a realist I can spot this sort of religious set up a mile away, and call it what you will, my opinion...... is that bull*hit is bul*hit, easy to spot, hard to get off the boots.
    
    
    Just another thread trying to flog the now dead horse of religion.
    Seen the series "Secret bible" yet? An enlightening series.
    For those who seek enlightenment that is, others will assign it to some evil entity as it doesn't agree with "the word"

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    earnestshubposted 11 years ago

    A billion or more prayers a day? From half the planet who are starving to death? Prayers answered?
    
    What a pile of crud!
    
    God is running around finding religiously demented peoples car keys while the rest of the praying world die of hunger, exposure and thirst?
    
    This sort of inhumane crap makes me want to throw up!

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    leola francisposted 11 years ago

    how true this is heavenbound we have proved this many times leola

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       earnestshubposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       As long as you don't let reality get in the way!

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          Glen619posted 11 years agoin reply to this

          dude you are not ready to open your heart and listen to others you will never come to a conclusion.

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             earnestshubposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Dude, don't call me dude OK?
             And my conclusions are just fine with me thanks for being concerned.

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    melodytsposted 11 years ago

    I believe on the power of prayer. Miracle happens if you have faith. But of course all things will be possible if you are working on it. No action, no reaction!

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