Prayer

I am very tired right now, but I'm also restless. I feel like there is something I need to say; something that needs to be expressed, but I'm not sure what it is.

Prayer has been on my mind a lot lately. I pray frequently because talking to my God is important. He is the "Lover of my soul," shouldn't I speak to Him? But there's a struggle within me. I know that He hears me because I've heard His response. I know that He sometimes grants my requests because I've seen Him do it.

However, I don't understand it. Does he do what I ask Him to only when He was already going to do it? Do my petitions change His mind? If so, how does that work? If God is timeless and unchanging, how does my prayer affect what He's doing? How does my prayer affect the things and people I pray for?

I'm not doubting here, I'm just wondering... how?

Maybe this is something I'll never understand this side of Heaven.

⁷ "Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. ⁸ Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

⁹ "If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? ¹⁰ Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? ¹¹ Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!

- Matthew 7:7-11 NCV -

²¹Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. ²²If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

- Matthew 21:21-22 NIV -


Same story as last quote, but a different book, and a different translation:

²³ I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'Go, fall into the sea.' And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, God will do it for you.²⁴ So I tell you to believe that you have received the things you ask for in prayer, and God will give them to you.

- Mark 11:23-24 NCV -

²⁴ Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.

- John 16:24 NCV -