Do you ever pray against something?

Olivia

Olivia

Well-known Member
Location
Hawaii
I am often tempted to pray that something or someone fails, but I actually end up not doing that because I just know it's wrong. But I do pray FOR something. What are any of your opinions about that? If prayer is not your thing, then how about wishing hard instead?
 

I'm like you Olivia...I wish I could bring myself to wish those who've caused me hurt or harm.....harm to themselves, but you know I don't do it simply because I believe in a higher power, and I feel that if retribution needs to be dealt out then there's an all seeing God who will make ensure that those who deserve Karma on my behalf will not fail to get it!!
 
hollydolly said:
I'm like you Olivia...I wish I could bring myself to wish those who've caused me hurt or harm.....harm to themselves, but you know I don't do it simply because I believe in a higher power, and I feel that if retribution needs to be dealt out then there's an all seeing God who will make ensure that those who deserve Karma on my behalf will not fail to get it!!
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As I said, I don't do that either. But I just wish I could believe that those that are unrepentant harm causers on others get their just rewards. I just have to hope, because I'm not going to ask. But then, I guess just on being my mind is I guess bad enough. Excuse us, we're just human.
 
I don't exactly pray for bad things to happen, but I have been known to bring certain situations to God's attention. What He does with them is up to Him.
 
Jesus instructed us to pray for good things, believing that our prayers are heard and answered. This does not mean that God is a marionette and that we can pull the strings. I am not a prayer warrior but when I have put my faith on the line and prayed earnestly and passionately for someone I have never felt let down.

I have never prayed against anyone. I follow the dictum "judge not, lest ye be judged" and choose to let God deliver judgement. I take comfort in the idea that God is in control of events on a cosmological time scale and like Job, I cannot understand what this means. I am amazed that God is at all interested in the minutiae of human existence.

I have often expressed the thought that I don't understand how prayer works, but since Jesus encouraged it, I'm willing to put aside my doubts and pray for what I consider to be good things. What I have learned is that when we pray for a person or cause, we enter into partnership with God. We are expected to step up and do what we can to be part of the answer.
 
Well, maybe not exactly the same thing as wishing harm to anyone, but I have certainly wished that Candidate X would not win the election, for example. So in a way, that's wishing against someone. (Not that
it's ever made the slightest bit of difference. It's just a way of expressing strong emotions. I do not believe that prayers or wishes ever make the slightest dent in objective reality.)
 
No, never. What I pray for is for me to understand it differently than what I currently do. It’s easier for me to change my perception, than change someone else or the situation.


God ( the universe ) works in mysterious ways that we don’t always understand.
 
Never have prayed against something
I do believe some folks have prayed against me…seems
Maybe not
Actually, if they did, they were for naught
I can ruin my fate all by myself

Anyway, my prayers of late, the last two years or so, have been for wisdom, understanding
And prayers of thanks

Recently sat in on a sermon
The topic was how any good thoughts, pure deeds, and basically anything good within us is only from God, not us.

The topic stressed how prideful thoughts in regard to our self-examined purity can invade and cause us to become rather comfortable in our Christian experience.
Of course I whole heartedly agree.
But
I got a whole lot more out of those words.
You see, I recognize my sinfulness, and, even though have read, and been told all about forgiveness, I still struggle with my misdeeds, and bent toward the less than good.
So, pride, I don’t consider my problem.
Acceptance of His forgiveness, I do tussle with, but lean heavily on His sacrifice.
But the sermon struck a chord to my most inner being, touching my very soul.
I, a sinner of sinners, still have Him in my life!
The evidence is the good thoughts, pure wishes, well, anything good that does come from within me…is from Him!
He is with me!
He hasn’t given up on me!
In spite of myself!

That sermon was a huge blessing

keep the fire

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Agree a lot with Gary. I believe people come in and out of our lives for a reason to teach or show us something. Some stay for a few hours, days, months or even years. We learn from each other and then move on. I remember after my massive stroke and I was in aggressive rehab. I hated some of those therapists as the pain they inflicted was unbearable at times. It took me awhile to see that it was for my own good and resulted in me being able to eat, walk and talk again. As I go through my day now I try to bless each person I meet and thank God for the goodness that comes into my life each day. For some reason I used to have to think to do it and now it just comes to me. Habit? I don't know but it feels good to do it.
 
When I owned a house and had horrible neighbors I discussed some of my situation with my acupuncturist. She stated in Chinese thought you don't wish harm on these people, you wish something good like they win the lottery and then they will move away. That didn't happen, I moved. I'm not explaining it as well as she did but it's an interesting thought process.
 
Kitties said:
When I owned a house and had horrible neighbors I discussed some of my situation with my acupuncturist. She stated in Chinese thought you don't wish harm on these people, you wish something good like they win the lottery and then they will move away. That didn't happen, I moved. I'm not explaining it as well as she did but it's an interesting thought process.
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I like it

Seems wishing ill, on most anything, anyone, tends to stay with the one wishing it.

There’s plenty of negative on this planet
It seems to travel the globe all by itself
Perpetual motion, sorta
It needs no help from us
 
When I was teaching, I would pray for patience, and for my kids. One year there was a kid coming up that I did not want. Did NOT. Prayed for that, and God answered that prayer. He said no. And I have t tell you, that kid turned out to be one of my favorites of all time. He struggled academically, but he worked hard, so hard. And he had this crazy kiddie charisma. I really loved that kid. He taught me a lot.
 
CarolfromTX said:
When I was teaching, I would pray for patience, and for my kids. One year there was a kid coming up that I did not want. Did NOT. Prayed for that, and God answered that prayer. He said no. And I have t tell you, that kid turned out to be one of my favorites of all time. He struggled academically, but he worked hard, so hard. And he had this crazy kiddie charisma. I really loved that kid. He taught me a lot.
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I love hearing this, Carol! Totally inspiring and an affirmation of the basic goodness in all of us.
 
I don't see prayer as a way to summon God's powers as weapons for my personal use or tools for my personal gain.

I pray most often for positive outcomes and relief from suffering for those around me.

I have been known to cast my eyes heavenward and ask "Why me Lord?" on a few occasions! I've never received a direct answer but I swear I've heard a faint chuckle more than once!

“If I were to say, "God, why me?" about the bad things, then I should have said, "God, why me?" about the good things that happened in my life.”- Arthur Ashe
 
I always pray "according to God's will" and I'm careful not to tell him what to do because he's the one that is all-knowing, full of wisdom, and all powerful . He knows every hair on our heads and every little sparrow so he doesn't need me to make him aware of anything or how to fix things. He already knows what he's doing :) If I tried to fix everything myself I'd fail but I trust he will make all things good, just as he says he will. I just have to trust him.

But he does want us to converse with him and bring him our concerns.

"The Lord's Prayer" in Matthew 6:9-13 is an example of how we should pray, to praise him and honor him first with love and gratitude. Then ask forgiveness for my own wrongdoings (specifically) just as I have forgiven others (specifically). Then ask that he help me not be tempted by evil and worldly things and protect me from the Evil One. I then ask all these things according to his will. His will be done. In Jesus name.

Then he wants me to trust him. And that's very healing for me if I have any animosity built up inside. I can just let it go and trust that he will make everything right in his perfect timing and according to his perfect plan.

Regarding that bad person that you would want God to hurt but dare not ask, don't worry, God works things out in a multitude of ways and it's always just.

He may allow natural consequences to handle the wrong. Or he may allow many trials and tribulations to happen so as to help us grow, learn, understand how others feel and thus learn compassion for others so we soften our hearts, humble ourselves, and develop a desire to help others and know just how with empathy. That's only a few...there are hundreds of ways God works out justice that we can't even fathom. Again, I trust and obey (I do try :))
 
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hollydolly said:
I'm like you Olivia...I wish I could bring myself to wish those who've caused me hurt or harm.....harm to themselves, but you know I don't do it simply because I believe in a higher power, and I feel that if retribution needs to be dealt out then there's an all seeing God who will make ensure that those who deserve Karma on my behalf will not fail to get it!!
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well the Budhha seemed to be big on the Karma thingo - and it seems kinda neat - keep doing good and ya get good [not immediately except from satisfaction ] keep doing bad and ya get bad but that I think is ya just makin yaself bad - like the Louise Hay concept - those that hate eat themselves away with negativitity
 
Aunt Bea said:
I don't see prayer as a way to summon God's powers as weapons for my personal use or tools for my personal gain.

I pray most often for positive outcomes and relief from suffering for those around me.

I have been known to cast my eyes heavenward and ask "Why me Lord?" on a few occasions! I've never received a direct answer but I swear I've heard a faint chuckle more than once!

“If I were to say, "God, why me?" about the bad things, then I should have said, "God, why me?" about the good things that happened in my life.”- Arthur Ashe
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well some do say that 'pray' is simple having a chat to 'God' like you would an old and faithful buddy - when I get into negativity with my old buddy he just says 'well there's another way to look at that ya know - why don't ya try it this way?'
 
and just another thought - praying to 'God' against something is not possible - he/she doesn't do things for us - he/she uses is to do things - negativity is simple not part of the equation
 

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