Oh My Josh, You Silly Man.
Have you ever had those moments where you’ve said something and then in retrospect you hear what you actually said? I was praying tonight and I found myself asking God to please let something not to have happened. This posed a question/s, and I started thinking about all the times I’ve prayed this very same request. Let me lay it out for you.
Something has happened . . . but you don’t actually know the outcome. You know what you selfishly, and with good intentions want the outcome to be, but you don’t know what actually happened. So before you find out what that outcome is, you pray and ask God to please make the outcome this. Are you following me so far?
The questions that formulated in my messed-up mind were these. Does it do any good to pray for the outcome even it has already taken place? What is the Lord thinking when He hears this prayer? With shrugged shoulders, would God do it? And lastly, in not praying for a positive outcome does that mean that I don’t care what the outcome is?
It sounds absurd to think about God changing an event that already took place only to make it a more favorable one. So for sake of example: You took a test and in reality got a C+ but then God changes it to an A+ and then changes the teacher’s memory of what grade she originally gave you, and life is good. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way and if it did we wouldn’t know. So then why do we, or maybe it’s just me, pray this way? I have my own ideas, but I would really like to hear what my fellow readers think, and if I’m alone in this or do you also do the same thing.
Keep in mind that this thought experiment is different from praying for a positive outcome that has not taken place yet. We’re talking about after the fact. Talk to you soon and happy thinking.
I’ve never really thought of prayer in that way, but the points you made I agree with. The sad thing for me, is that in my own life, I don’t pray nearly as much as I should before the event(s) happen, and I end up trying to cram in my praying as you would cram before a big test. Praying without ceasing is something I have struggles with for a while, but with God’s help I can improve in that area.
Hey Jared thanks for the comment.
wow, thats confusing. or maybe im just slow? i mean, i get it and all, but i had to read it 3 times! and yes this same thing happens to me often.
Yea I don’t know if I did a good job explaining, but the thought is there. I’m still waiting on more comments before I post my thought on the matter.
Hello again – it seems I don’t make it to the computer as often as I would like or need to. Yes, I do pray (after the fact) because sometimes I don’t think I can take another disappointment if God doesn’t turn things around again. I don’t know if God turns “it” around, or God turns “me” around. Whatever the case, I need to pray more.
By the way, I was talking to Aunt E. and Uncle R. who read your blog religiously. What is the name of the post where you tell about Aidan screaming in the car? Love you Much, MIMI
Hey mom thanks for the comments. The post is either, “The Social Injustices of Children” or “The Whys and Wherefores.” I think you may be morphing the two together; either way both involve the kid.