Since God is omniscient not only does he know all of our hardships but he also knows that we want him to help us through said hardships. Why do we explicitly ask for help through prayer?
1
-
@ashansky I don't think that the accepted answer for the question answers my question though. About the 1st point for the accepted answer: Why do we need to follow the ritual of prayer if God knows everything? About the 2nd point to the accepted answer: But doesn't God know the specific outcome we want? As for the 3rd point, I think that it is completely inapplicable to my questions.– SeekingTheLord222445Apr 26, 2013 at 21:55
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
We ask for help and for what we need in prayer because God delights in it.
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior 1 Tim 2:1-3
We also pray so that our thoughts become aligned with God's. The Lord's prayer makes it a point to specifically say that God's will be done on Earth.
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’ Matt 6:7-13
Jesus, to fully align His thoughts with the Father's, prayed the night He was betrayed.
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matt 26:39.
John lays it out more plainly for us.
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15
When our thoughts are aligned with God's we will ask for what He is to do, anyway. And since our thoughts are aligned with God's we will delight and rejoice in His righteous ways.
So when we are suffering, we pray to the Omniscient God because he likes to hear from us, and He wants us to think like Him, which is always holy and righteous. Then from that perspective, our suffering will seem different than that.
answered Apr 26, 2013 at 22:11
-
This might start sounding ridiculous, to the point of Inception, but I'll try anyway. Let's imagine a world where we don't need to pray for God. Wouldn't God be happy knowing that if we did have to pray for him, we would pray for him? Apr 26, 2013 at 22:22
-
1@SeekingTheLord222445 Supposing and guessing what if's centered around God's character is shaky ground. We have the Scriptures that we can turn to in hope that we may draw closer to God. The Scriptures say to pray. That is the ultimate reason for prayer: to be closer to God. Apr 26, 2013 at 22:32