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Thursday, October 12, 2006
Topics in Prayer
Who and what do you pray for?

What haven't you prayed for that you later wish you had included in a conversation with God?

Is there anything you wish you hadn't added to your prayer list?

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posted by Lydia at 1:15 PM ¤ Permalink ¤


8 Comments:


  • At 10/12/2006 01:29:00 PM, Blogger Lydia

    I'll answer first. :)

    Who and what do you pray for?

    Most of my prayers - for better or for worse - are for people I know.

    To give one example, earlier this year I spent several months praying intensely for the future children of my brother and sister-in-law. They'd been trying to conceive for a little over a year with no success.

    I didn't know how else to help them other than to pray. Long story short, they're expecting their first child this winter.

    (This isn't to say that I think we should "measure" our favour with God by how often our prayers are answered. IMO one doesn't have anything to do with the other).

    What haven't you prayed for that you later wish you had included in a conversation with God?

    I can't think of anything right now - I'll post it if I think of a good example.

    Is there anything you wish you hadn't added to your prayer list?

    Definitely. I've been trying to expand my "prayer list" far beyond those I know and love.

    I'm still learning how to feel as passionately about the needs of people I don't know as I do about my family and friends.

     
  • At 10/12/2006 03:47:00 PM, Blogger Sally

    today I prayed for a school, I walked around the hall and prayed before I led their assembly...

    I tend towards arrow prayers for my family

    I appreciate being part of a praying group that meets weekly where we pray for the world and for one another...

    I love C.S Lewis thoughts on prayer changing him because it brought him into direct relationship with God!

    I need and want to have a more prayerful life so there are many things I wish I had prayed for but didn't...

     
  • At 10/12/2006 05:36:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous

    I pray for friends, family, and my own life struggles....

    There is so much I haven't prayed for that I wish I had and would include in my conversation with God...such as this. Overall...need to develop better prayer habits. Ne

    The last question is interesting. I suppose it might go along with the old adage "be careful what you pray for." If there were something particular I wish I hadn't added to my prayer list, would that be because I didn't receive desired answer?

     
  • At 10/12/2006 11:59:00 PM, Blogger CSDL

    1) Most of my prayers are for friends and family, but I also spend a lot of time in prayer trying to decern my role in bringing God's Kingdom to earth.

    2) I really wish i spent more time in prayer for the world around me instead of just the people I know and love

    3) I used to spend a lot of time praying for "love and happiness." Eventually i decided that was the wrong thing to be praying for... if that makes any sense ;-)

     
  • At 10/13/2006 08:32:00 AM, Blogger Janice

    I guess I pray for anyone on my heart or mind -- including friends, family, and 'enemies'. I do think that my prayers tend to fairly egocentric and I could spend more time praying outside my own immeidate contacts and circumtances.

    That sort of answers what I wished I had prayed for -- in seeing the 'center' of my prayers, MY firends, MY family, MY enemies -- I suppose I wish I spent more time in prayer for people and places outside of that -- and I have begun, but it tends to come back to me - my problems, my trials....etc.

    Is there anything I wish I HADN'T added to my prayer list? The only thing I can think of would be that sometimes I think we pray for certain things - we want certain things or want things to be a certain way -- and we don't always realize those things aren't the best for us. God's best is often something different, so I think we (I) can waste a lot of time praying from our (my) desires or perspectives instead of using prayer time to search for God's deires/perspective in our (my) life.

     
  • At 10/13/2006 09:34:00 AM, Blogger Unknown

    1)I pray for those around me, but find lately I am not very specific. If I feel that there is hurt or issues going on, I just ask God to move.
    When I pray for myself, I ask for help changing things I need to change. Lately I have asked to be used in whatever ways God can use me(which has been a little scary)

    2) When people have asked for prayers and I was too busy to do that for them.

    3) Sure, more in the past...I prayed the list prayers that I thought I was supposed to do. I don't think I was passionate at times, and many times being selfish in what I was asking for.

     
  • At 10/15/2006 01:00:00 AM, Blogger juniper

    I pray mostly for people I know. I pray for certain groups of people I know (like my clients, the pastors of the church, my bosses, etc.)

    I often have problems I wish I'd prayed about.

    I don't regret what I've prayed about.

     
  • At 10/15/2006 06:18:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous

    I pray a lot differently these days. My journey from fundamental evangelicalism and now towards Gospel-centered feminine spirituality has contributed to that. My husband and I "talk" our prayers as if God was sitting with us. It often involves "hey, did you notice that beautiful moon tonight?" or enjoyment over various other natural 'gifts'. We may agonize as we feel pain for those who are struggling, which can often include ourselves. I guess in some ways it is somehow sharing our deepest and varied feelings of both gratitude and sorrows like we would with a good friend.

    I'm learning to "live, move and have my being" in Christ. For me that means prayer is in every movement and thought. I'm beginning to see the 'face of Christ' in the addict or staff member that sits in front of me as they struggle through various thoughts and feelings.

    I've come to believe that God knows each concern I have for the various people I'm connected to and therefore I don't have to recite a list in order for them to be cared for. I believe that when I connect to them in a meaningful way and I'm connected to God in a meaningful way then spiritual community will happen which includes the closeness of God to the situation(s).

    I find this hard to explain but have somehow found great comfort in this journey.