Does praying to God really help? Yes or No, positive or negative answers are fine.?
597287
I would say, 'yes,' not simply due to religious beliefs but rather focusing on the sphere of psychological studies.\n\nMany psychological studies have noted that those with spiritual beliefs tend to live longer, live healthier, and become far more productive in society. These same studies have noted a very strong connection to prayer and the same effects.\n\nNow whether this is due to the truth of spirituality and religious beliefs, or is due to just what people feel about things because of their beliefs, is something that science cannot (and has not tried) to answer. I strongly recommend that you visit the American Psychology Association website and search their documents for more on this subject.
1152387
Keep praying and trusting God for help.
439500
yes God exists for me... in times of need i asked Him lots of favors and He grants it... sometimes He doesn't because it was my fault as well i acknowledge... try... when you are in need pray and just wait for it to be answered... you cand ask him to talk to him directly....
941913
Yes dear, when your prayers are answered, it's proof of God. When they are not, well it just wasn't god's will.\nAs I will it..\n\nYou know the rest! ; )
742664
Nothing wrong with praying for our leaders.\n\nPrayer helps in many ways, plus I'm sure they would appreciate it!
343865
Personally i think i would just pray because i feel better if i believe God has heard me. I'm sorry to hear about your news and hope the results come back saying what you want to hear.
478909
I really, really, really believe that there aren't rules as far as prayers go.  If you want to say something to God then go for it, I don't think God will mind what you say first as long.  I find it unfortunate in some organized religions that there is an "outline" for reflecting with God...or when one isn't even "allowed" to talk to God directly, but through a priest.\n\nI'm not overly religous but I do pray and find it soothing.  So if you want to ask for forgiveness, be thankful or as for blessing just go for it!   If you feel it in your heart and practice goodness (i.e don't be hypcritical! I can't stand that - have  a few of those in my life, ick) I think you're all set!!
906410
Yeah, it amazes me how many people rely on prayer alone to accomplish things. The only way you're ever going to accomplish anything or solve any problem is by taking steps to, you know, SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I can ask someone to pray for me that I'll stop procrastinating, and they can pray all they want, but until I bring myself to actually do it, nothing's going to change.
734713
Yes the Lord helps us all. God bless you Here are some hugs for you ooooooooooooooooooyes I am struggling but it is making me a better and a stronger person.
875491
I am sure that there are lots of people praying to win the lottery right now...and most of them are buying tickets.\n\nSo...\n\nyour question is "Does prayer work?"\n\nAnd...\n\nmy answer is yes...\n\nI have had specific and even miraculous answers to prayer.  But I don't recall one of this type.\n\nIt seems God has established some laws to the universe, which are seldom, if ever violated.  \n\nEven Jesus got turned down once in the garden of Gethsemane. \n\nI think the LottoPrayer would actually be: "God, allow me to happy and successful, and have enough to share."\n\nI think...\n\nif you pray that prayer...you WILL get an answer.\n\nGod bless.
270842
God answers prayers. He loves his creation, and cares for them so much. We can pray for help with a certain problem, and he may answer our prayer...but what if it seems our prayer doesn't get answered?\n\nWe have to be open to the thought that God might answer our prayer in a different way than we thought.\n\nPaul dealt with a 'thorn in the flesh' his whole life. He prayed to have it removed, but that never happened. God DID help Paul to deal with his problem. God has perfect wisdom, so he knows best when it comes to our problems. Sometimes, our problems may not go away, and we have to endure through them. But as you will see if you look up the scriptures below, the right attitude can help us deal with whatever trials we may have to deal with while we patiently wait on God.\nRomans 5:3-5\nJames 1:2-4\nHebrews 12:11\n*1 Corinthians 10:13
58058
Prayer has never done anything. Many studies have been done. All negative. Face it, as nice as it would be, there is no god. No higher power cares about you. You are on your own. I know that is a scary thought but that's all there is to it.
938045
Dear Vachoo,\n\nThank you for asking!\nI believe a whole lot in the power of prayer.   I don't just mean "good thoughts" but prayer to the awesome uncreated Creator of the universe.  \n\nIt isn't my prayer that has power but the One that I'm praying to.\n\nSo many of my prayers have been answered in the most wonderful ways and yet sometimes I get so bogged down by what I see going on in the world that I don't pray.\n\nOne of the most dramatic answers I got to prayer came nearly 15 years ago.  I worked in the internal audit department at a bank and things were not going well in the economy.  The bank had been excellent in residential real estate but Share Holders were demanding that we do commercial real estate where the big money was.  After a few years things started floundering.  There was very little leadership from our leaders and then my husband filed for divorce.\n\nI could barely even twiddle my thumbs let alone function.  One Sunday morning before going to church I knelt by my bed and started praying, "Lord, I just want ..."  I didn't even have the words to finish the prayer.  I just knew I wanted the PAIN to be gone.  I believe the Holy Spirit finished my prayer for me "... to read the Bible from cover-to-cover.  Will You arrange the time and the money?"  \n\nTwo days later my whole department got laid off and I got 15 weeks of severance pay.  Even though the economy was not good my co-workers actually found much more satisfying jobs and I spent my time reading The Daily Walk Bible (that was also an answered prayer).  It was so good I couldn't put it down and I finished it in 90 days.\n\nYes, I definitely believe in the power of prayer when one prays to the heavenly Father in Jesus' Name.\n\nEdit: Nowadays I pray "Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit and I weren't praying for the time and money to read the Bible just once."  \n\nWith Elijah on Mount Carmel in mind (see 1 Kings 18) I've been praying for a way to read the Bible with small groups of people aiming for a total of 850 people (450 + 400).
498952
i do believe in prayers and the power behind the prayers.i cannot say how many in numbers have come true, but it has been alot. i learned the hard way that not all that i ask for i get. one has to remember that what we want may not be what God wants us to have. sometimes the answer is no and we have to accept that. i love to pray cause God is always there for me and he knows me inside and out, and accepts me the way i am. he does answer prayers so don't stop! remember: P U S H - pray until something happens!! God bless you!!
825637
How do we know that "answered prayers" are illusions? We simply perform scientific experiments. We ask a group of believers to pray for something and then we watch what happens. What we find, whenever we test the efficacy of prayer scientifically, is that prayer has zero effect: \n\nIt does not matter who prays. \nIt does not matter if we pray to God, Allah, Vishnu, Zeus, Ra or any other human god. \nIt does not matter what we pray about. \nIf we perform scientific, double-blind tests on prayer, and if the prayers involve something concrete and measurable (for example, healing people with cancer), we know that there is zero effect from prayer. Every single "answered prayer" is nothing more than a coincidence. Both scientific experiments and your everyday observations of the world show this to be the case every single time.\n\nDon't hold your breath on Iraq.
220586
"I'll pray for you!" Ah yes, the classic religious person's way of saying, "F*** you." Nine times out of ten, this line comes about when you refuse to agree on something and that is their final stance - if you won't agree, they're going to get their god to MAKE you agree because you couldn't possibly know what you think or what's best for you.\n\nIf prayer is so effective, why are there millions of starving children around the world? If prayer is so effective, what of the little girl who begs Jesus for her assailant to stop raping her at night? If prayer is so effective, why did six million Jews die during Hitler's reign? If prayer is so effective, why do we need oncology departments, and why are they always full?\n\nChristians often answer that "God moves in mysterious ways" or that "God will answer 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' and you got a no." Nonsense. The Christian Bible says:\n\nJohn 14:13-14\n"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."\n\nMatthew 7:7-8\n"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."\n\nJohn 16:23-24\n"Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you... Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."\n\nThere are no conditions here at all. It simply says to ask and your request will be granted. Yet this does not happen. Even Christians who pray in Jesus' name do not have these verses fulfilled on a basis consistent enough to believe that Jesus is the one responsible.\n\nSo relax. Given the track record of failed prayers and desperate pleas, you have no reason to believe any prayers for you are being answered. :)
180458
It depends on what you mean by pray.I keep talking to God throught the day like hes my friend which he is.I do read the Bible everyday.