Do you believe in prayer?

Not someone whose friendship I would cultivate!

I would love to believe in prayer

But I don't

This reminds me of my time as a nursing assistant at 15 in a Catholic hospital - I'd been warned but the other girls re being approached about my religion etc. When the talk came we were changing the babies and I simply said that I was not a believer and didn't go to church. If I was a believer I didn't need to go to church as if God was real I would find him every where and not just in church - never heard another word on the subject whilst the other girls were constantly being hassled - oh and I was also good friends with the local priest who liked frequenting the popular meeting places for the young at the time, simply to keep abreast of all etc plus I guess chat to those who needed it in a familiar way. So I regularly had him greeting me from the other end of the corridor on his rounds or giving me a Xmas hug in front of the horrified Nuns. Don't get me wrong, I definitely support those who get comfort from prayer, I just don't expect there to be any real solutions because of it.

I do believe in prayer, but I think there is pointless prayer..
Eg coming towards home and there is smoke coming from a house. It’s pointless to pray that it’s not your house (it’s already on fire), but to pray for the strength to deal with it if it was yours.

I certainly do not pray for cashmere sweaters nor tell people what to read. But I do believe in prayer. We may not get the miraculous healing or wonderful changes in fortune which we might be praying for but to put yourself in God's hands is a truly blessed experience and I always feel a great weight lifted from me when I pray.

I am not sure what I believe but I know when something bad happens I pray but it is more to my late Mum & Dad.
However I do have a friend who is very devout & I have asked her to pray for my DiL who is very ill. I think if there is anything out there she will have more clout then me! She finds it very funny but does do it for me.

Same here KatyK

I was brought up as a Catholic, although I am not a very good one now, however I have great faith in Prayer, its a consolation and Prayers do get answered.

Oh and I think praying for a certain type of sweater is trivializing what prayer is about.

Positive thought is what I believe in.

I believe in the power of prayer - but not for material things. I have on several occasions asked for the strength to face a serious illness in myself or an illness in a close family member. Each time that prayer has been answered and each time I sent up a prayer of thanks. I also say a prayer of thanks every night.

Thank you 3nanny6 How kind. Best wishes back to you.

I completely agree with Doodle and all she has written.
I do not pray for frivolous things that I may want. I have difficult situations in my daily life in matters regarding family.
I pray and put all my problems and stresses in God's hands I do not ask God to sort out those problems as I want as he is the one that knows what is needed in my life and His work is different to what we see in our lives.
I do get angry with him on occasions as sometimes it seems he sends me hardships that I do not want to endure but I keep up with my religion and keep praying.

I send a hug to KatyK as also being of the Catholic faith she had a hard time by the sound of things and praying to see the end of a horrible childhood which she wanted to stop but found no answer to her prayers is sadness in itself.
Fully understand how you lost your faith to pray hope you will not mind if I offer up a prayer for you and good wishes in all you do.

I just can't fathom how anyone can believe in a religion, let alone feel that a prayer has any result.

I suppose at least they're harmless, though, unlike all the trouble and wars religion has caused in the world.

I agree with Greeneyedgirl that prayer can change a person. Prayer is listening and responding as well as asking. Be very careful what you pray for as you might be asked to respond to the situation you pray about.
I do believe that prayer can change things. Jackie Pullinger who worked with drug addicts and gang (triad)members in Hong Kong says that she was able to get them off drugs by the power of prayer alone.A brilliant testimony to the power of prayer.

Prayer, which I believe in, is not for that sort of use. Also our minds must always be open to other beliefs and religions. Only then will we get peace (if only) in most of the world.

I don't practice any particular religion, but on 2 separate occasions (both some while back), I did make a heartfelt and desperate plea to who or whatever might be out there, to help resolve difficult situations for 2 separate people and their situations did change. I did also follow that up with sending thanks out to whoever may have helped.

Some distant Canadian relatives of mine (some sort of non-mainstream vicar and his wife). certainly believe in it.
One communication we had from them said that they could do with some new household appliance - I forget which - so that was going on the ‘prayer list’.

At the time I did think it a bit odd that a couple who are fairly in-your-face religious, were praying for things for themselves, and not for other people.

Lovely doddle! About sums it upx

Oh yes! Praying for someone is such a privilege and sometimes the answer is awesome. Sometimes the answer is longer in completion but that's ok. We are far more precious in God's sight than we know or often believe. I have seen miracles as a result of trust, faith and prayer and am so aware of the need to pray more, especially for others and the world situation.

Claim as we may to never having, or wished to pray how many can say that at some time in their lives when faced with adversity have not prayed.?

As others have said Doodle expresses it perfectly for me. I like to talk to God through the day and ask for the intercession of the saints and Our Lady. On occasion, when I can't find the words or feel the need of support there are lots of communities who will pray for your needs.

It’s a very personal thing isn’t it. I am a non believer in a “God” as I have to see to believe. I would never denigrate another person’s belief but I would be cross if I thought they were trying to “convert” me. In the pre Christian days people used to pray to gods of the sun, wind, rain etc for good weather for their harvest or being thankful for what they have. That makes more sense to me.

Prayer to me is a personal thing. How , when, or why is purely up to you.
Praying to me is also part of what is known as "mindfulness" those few minutes of peace that is very much needed each day.

I’ve discovered after 25 years of praying it’s sometimes the only thing that works and in the last few years depended on it quite a bit and not disappointed. Last year after a major op ( a miracle itself) my temperature wouldn’t come so I texted my husband to do a particular prayer for me, he did , temperature came down. Even I didn’t quite believe what was in front of my eyes. But my prayers aren’t blocked by my slight skepticism and I try not to be. I would be an anxious person if prayer didn’t calm me down. But I have no problem with people who don’t believe or think God exists - we all have to make choices and live and die with them. What enrages me is when a persons choice is taken away from them like the Chinese brainwashing prisons.