The Key to answered prayers

[DC]

You know how they say you should "let go, let God?"  Does anyone have any personal experiences proving that God is much more likely to give you the things that you desire when you're more willing to accept what he wants for you even if it's not 100% the way you want it?

For example, would he be more likely to help you find a spouse if you prayed for someone who had certain qualities that you were attracted to, instead of praying for it to be a specific person, even if turned out that that specific person really was the one God wanted you to marry?  Does anyone know from personal experience that God is more likely to answer you prayers if you do it that way?

[Quaesitor]

 :boyheart:

Prayer is an important part of one's relationship with God but I believe real prayer is in the spirit and heart. Words, techniques, beautifull sentences, desires, etc. are all useless in prayer and even detrimental.

Example:
I've been taught to pray before eating, to give thanks for the food, etc.
But I realized that words are useless if my heart is not thankfull and if my spirit is not dependant on God's sustaining of both my bodY and spirit.

Jesus also said to seek the kingdom first and everything else would be given to us by the father. So it's really about seeking what God is doing and let Him take care of the rest.

[Paul Hazelwood]

You know how they say you should "let go, let God?"  Does anyone have any personal experiences proving that God is much more likely to give you the things that you desire when you're more willing to accept what he wants for you even if it's not 100% the way you want it?

For example, would he be more likely to help you find a spouse if you prayed for someone who had certain qualities that you were attracted to, instead of praying for it to be a specific person, even if turned out that that specific person really was the one God wanted you to marry?  Does anyone know from personal experience that God is more likely to answer you prayers if you do it that way?

I personally have found that you will not be able to come up with any set of criteria that makes any answer to prayer more likely.

I found my wife while not praying at all not caring very much at all about God.   I never thought much about qualities and such in fact at the time I met my wife, I had moved away from home and had a girlfriend in the state I left at the time, so in general I was not even looking.

So even that scenario seems to go against the traditional formulation for pleasing god and getting favor yet I ended up with what I had hoped for in my mind.

[WhiteWings]

^YLTMatt 5
45 that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous.

[Nancy]

Hi there DC,
Funny enough, in the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, we are instructed to accept the now for what it is, (God's will if you are a christian) and when you fully accept the now, things that you thought you wanted come to you without any effort, or God seems to answer your prayers. As Christ said, look to the kingodom of God and these things will come to you!

But what i wanted to mention is that when i have had prayers answered, i havent' prayers thinking, Oh by the way, God i am now praying for this thing to occur or this pain to go, etc.  I have put a specific song on and sang the words that were relevant to my prayer and really meant them.
Don't ask me how but i believe that God answered those prayers.
I'll give you an example of one.  When i felt really alone in my life and wanted someone to share my life with, i put on the song Somebody to Love by Queen.  I really believe God heard that prayer and sent my now husband into my life!

Godbless
Nancy

[PaoloNuevo]

Hi there DC,
Funny enough, in the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, we are instructed to accept the now for what it is, (God's will if you are a christian) and when you fully accept the now, things that you thought you wanted come to you without any effort, or God seems to answer your prayers. As Christ said, look to the kingodom of God and these things will come to you!

I agree.. God wants us to hold our peace... then He'll work everything out in His own time..

[pollypinks]

I can't say I have concrete proof of God's answers.  I don't know if I can lay claim to that.  But I still ask for specific things, and then leave it in God's hands.  As I age, and I'm older than most here, I am open to God's peace even when my specific prayers don't get answered like I want.  Rather, perhaps acknowledging God knows what you need, rather than you knowing what you need, might be helpful.  Might not too.  Perspective.