Chuckling over Unanswered Prayers...

[ambelamba]

many years ago I was going through a kind of pain and suffering that no one could measure, and at that time there was an opportunity to be a production assistant at Rhythm and Hues. To me, it was an exit to escape from the terrible psychosomatic pain. Being a good Christian, I prayed hard to God. Guess what happened. Nothing.

Now I am applying for a vocational rehabilitation program at VA, called Chapter 31. I barely graduated a state university with a bare minimal grades because of my disability and I need further training. If I get approved for Ch.31, then I would enroll to a local community college with a decent animation program, spend a semester or two, draw like a slave for 6 to 12 months and apply for a job or an agency in West LA, to be a visual development artist or a storyboard artist. Fortunately I am a fast and precise artist but I need a structured guidance to make a good portfolio.

Anyway, did I pray for this? A little bit. But over the past few years I realized that God has no obligation to answer anyone's prayer and you make your own future with a help from good luck and little adversity from the environment. I prayed a bit anyway to make me feel better. My closest friend, who studied at a seminary to become a Catholic priest, told me that I am lucky to realize that pray doesn't do a crap. (yeah, he is a lapsed Catholic, like me.) And of course, being a realist, I don't believe in a hokey manure like Law of Attraction. It's all dumb, random, luck. The director of the original Willy Wonka movie told me that luck exists and you never know when it stikes you, so you should do your best all the time.

You know, the WORST advice I got from Christian churches is not to do your very best and just rely on God. Yeah, you heard it right. They say you don't have to do your own best if you rely on God real hard. It took me ten years to get that bull out of my system. And now, I am facing a chance to change my life, ending the horrid extra job, get further education and training and starting to live my life...

[Mr Walker]

There is a lot of overlap between the bibles advice on this, and common sense. Eg; make the most of your talents. God helps those who help them selves. It is up to us to take the first step in faith etc.

And of course for atheist or believer, planning, commitment, effort and talent, all play a part in success. I think any christian who told you to rely on god alone was a bit naive.

However there is another side to this coin. God answers prayers, but he also plans our lives and guides/leads us into paths and ends which are best for us if we allow him to. If we use our talents we wil end up where both god and we want us to be.

Often god knows us beteer than we know oursleves

Finally, it also depends on the life you prioritise as important. God works best in the spiritual(inner self) dimension. He can give us all we need in life but not necessarily all we want.

I have very intelligent and educated friends who have been very succesful in life. They plan, work hard, and that contributes, but they always pray to god for guidance and never go against his advice, .

Often a true and complete believer will find god reciprocates the faith they put in him,

. The more they give, the more they gain in all facets of life. And finally, when you walk with god through life, god walks with you.

He provides for me all my emotional and spiritual needs but also all my financial and physical needs. But he also educates and mentors me about what my true needs are, and helps me set useful goals and creative purposes for my life. In consequence I am "richer" happier more succesful, loved and respected than i ever thought i could be. Thank god, he did not listen to my fervent prayers as a teenager and make nme a sporting sex symbol. I'm sure my life would have suffered grealty by comparison if he had Thank god he made sure i did not marry the incredibly sexy but totally unsuited first love of my life, and instead ensured i met and fell magically in love with my soul mate, whom I have known and loved for over 40 years and who is a much nicer, and compatible, life mate.

But mos tof all thank god he intervened time and time again to save my life from accidental death or the consequences of my own stupidity. I owe god, not just my life, but wha t my life IS. Sometimes, for all its good intent and common sense; planning, talent and even luck, is not enough.

[randym23]

if prayer is irrelevant, then what's the point in worshiping God? Why even assume such a thing exists when it will not make itself evident? A lot of people have this "the universe is unfolding as it should and you have lessons to learn" philosophy but if they believe that then God has no point. Worship the sun, the universe, the Big Bang as the event that started the ball rolling.

[WoIverine]

many years ago I was going through a kind of pain and suffering that no one could measure, and at that time there was an opportunity to be a production assistant at Rhythm and Hues. To me, it was an exit to escape from the terrible psychosomatic pain. Being a good Christian, I prayed hard to God. Guess what happened. Nothing.

Now I am applying for a vocational rehabilitation program at VA, called Chapter 31. I barely graduated a state university with a bare minimal grades because of my disability and I need further training. If I get approved for Ch.31, then I would enroll to a local community college with a decent animation program, spend a semester or two, draw like a slave for 6 to 12 months and apply for a job or an agency in West LA, to be a visual development artist or a storyboard artist. Fortunately I am a fast and precise artist but I need a structured guidance to make a good portfolio.

Anyway, did I pray for this? A little bit. But over the past few years I realized that God has no obligation to answer anyone's prayer and you make your own future with a help from good luck and little adversity from the environment. I prayed a bit anyway to make me feel better. My closest friend, who studied at a seminary to become a Catholic priest, told me that I am lucky to realize that pray doesn't do a crap. (yeah, he is a lapsed Catholic, like me.) And of course, being a realist, I don't believe in a hokey manure like Law of Attraction. It's all dumb, random, luck. The director of the original Willy Wonka movie told me that luck exists and you never know when it stikes you, so you should do your best all the time.

You know, the WORST advice I got from Christian churches is not to do your very best and just rely on God. Yeah, you heard it right. They say you don't have to do your own best if you rely on God real hard. It took me ten years to get that bull out of my system. And now, I am facing a chance to change my life, ending the horrid extra job, get further education and training and starting to live my life...

Where was your common sense? Not doing your best regardless of your belief in God or not is not a good path to take. I don't care what anyone told you, God gives people the mental faculties to question and investigate everything. You have to figure out this life on your own.

[tapirmusic]

There is no such thing as an unanswered prayer.

God answers all prayers... ...but the answer to most of them is "No".

[ambelamba]

There is no such thing as an unanswered prayer.

God answers all prayers... ...but the answer to most of them is "No".

Maybe. God hates to intervene with mortal affairs and he wants us to solve our own problems...

[White Crane Feather]

many years ago I was going through a kind of pain and suffering that no one could measure, and at that time there was an opportunity to be a production assistant at Rhythm and Hues. To me, it was an exit to escape from the terrible psychosomatic pain. Being a good Christian, I prayed hard to God. Guess what happened. Nothing.

Now I am applying for a vocational rehabilitation program at VA, called Chapter 31. I barely graduated a state university with a bare minimal grades because of my disability and I need further training. If I get approved for Ch.31, then I would enroll to a local community college with a decent animation program, spend a semester or two, draw like a slave for 6 to 12 months and apply for a job or an agency in West LA, to be a visual development artist or a storyboard artist. Fortunately I am a fast and precise artist but I need a structured guidance to make a good portfolio.

Anyway, did I pray for this? A little bit. But over the past few years I realized that God has no obligation to answer anyone's prayer and you make your own future with a help from good luck and little adversity from the environment. I prayed a bit anyway to make me feel better. My closest friend, who studied at a seminary to become a Catholic priest, told me that I am lucky to realize that pray doesn't do a crap. (yeah, he is a lapsed Catholic, like me.) And of course, being a realist, I don't believe in a hokey manure like Law of Attraction. It's all dumb, random, luck. The director of the original Willy Wonka movie told me that luck exists and you never know when it stikes you, so you should do your best all the time.

You know, the WORST advice I got from Christian churches is not to do your very best and just rely on God. Yeah, you heard it right. They say you don't have to do your own best if you rely on God real hard. It took me ten years to get that bull out of my system. And now, I am facing a chance to change my life, ending the horrid extra job, get further education and training and starting to live my life...

If a god created you and gave you a brain.., and you are using it to answer your own prayers... Poof prayers answered. Im not really a traditional creation kind a guy, but it seems to me that if we were created we were given these Marvelouse brains that if we use correctly can open up everything to us. You are right. We make our luck but thank god we have that capacity . I can't imagine a life relying on chance.... No thanks I don't like Vegas.

[Beany]

Sometimes I think people confuse God with Santa Clause! When I pray, I give thanks, ask for better understanding, or a piece of knowledge I think is missing, etc. I think loss, grief, etc. is part of the human experience, and there are things to be learned from these experiences, if we choose to be a student. I've had my share of c**p, no doubt will have some more, but still, there isn't anywhere I'd rather be right now than on this planet. Eventually I'll move on, but boy, it can be as lovely here as it can be terrible.

[Mr_Snstr]

Ever here the one about the drowning man?

A boat comes by and offers to save him.

"No thanks, god will save me." He says.

Another boat comes and offers to save him; and he refuses again. Again a third time.

The man drowns and goes to heaven.

He asks god "Why didn't you save me from drowning?"

God replies, "I tried! Who do you think sent the boats?".

Edited December 20, 2011 by Mr_Snstr

[xYlvax]

That's why I don't pray. If you work hard enough, you can make anything happen. You don't need a God to make things happen for you. It's a simple belief in yourself; perseverance, dedication, & hard work.

[ambelamba]

That's why I don't pray. If you work hard enough, you can make anything happen. You don't need a God to make things happen for you. It's a simple belief in yourself; perseverance, dedication, & hard work.

And like I said, luck.

[Mr_Snstr]

And like I said, luck.

Luck favors those who make their own.

[White Crane Feather]

And like I said, luck.

"luck is where opportunity meets preparation"

[zefear]

tbh i dont even care to read the rest of the post, just want to tell my own story here whether god is helping us or not, when im facing any obstacles in my life i kept praying even to knell down i keep praying asking for His help, i remembered something from bible that i cant tell which part but i know someone here will lead the chapter for me please, those flower plants was put there and god cloth it beautifully arent we as His children will be taken care more? no matter whats the outcome of our life if the results is we overcome the obstacles unharmed or perhaps changed to good or worse yet still live, i will always thank Him for staying by my side.

God bless you.

[ambelamba]

tbh i dont even care to read the rest of the post, just want to tell my own story here whether god is helping us or not, when im facing any obstacles in my life i kept praying even to knell down i keep praying asking for His help, i remembered something from bible that i cant tell which part but i know someone here will lead the chapter for me please, those flower plants was put there and god cloth it beautifully arent we as His children will be taken care more? no matter whats the outcome of our life if the results is we overcome the obstacles unharmed or perhaps changed to good or worse yet still live, i will always thank Him for staying by my side.

God bless you.

pfffft.

[SamDavies]

Lol. This post reminds me of when I was sitting for my year twelve finals (matriculation) in a Catholic High School. Students around me praying to God to help them. All I could say to the guy upstairs was that I was not going to ask for His help as I'd not done enough study...thus I'd no right to ask for something I had not myself busted a gut to achieve. Yes, the Creator gaves us brains so that we can use them.

But I do beleive that 'prayers' are sometimes answered depending on what they are and what effect it will have on others around. And not in the way they have been asked. Actually I don't ask for help anymore as I never know what is really good for me or others at the end of the day. Things just happen sometimes and only after busting my gut and always in ways I least expect.