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It is not the purpose of prayer to draw to God’s attention that which He may not have observed.
Gordon B. Hinckley once said, ”Sometimes we pray as thought we are picking up the telephone and ordering groceries.” We say, “Hey, I would like some butter, 2 dozen eggs and a gallon of milk” and then we wait for the delivery boy to bring them to us. Or like sitting on Santa’s lap “I would like a new toy train, and a bow and arrow……” Sometimes we think that prayer is our avenue to tell God what we want and to convince him why we need it. This is not the proper purpose of prayer.
Dallin H. Oaks expressed it this way: “We should recognize that the Lord will speak to us through the Spirit in his own time and in his own way. Many people do not understand this principle. They believe that when they are ready and when it suits their convenience, they can call upon the Lord and he will immediately respond, even in the precise way they have prescribed.” As we pray, we also need to keep in mind that we must submit our will to the will of the Lord.”
We may say that our work drives us and that we have not time to pray, hardly time to eat our breakfasts. Then let the breakfasts go, and pray; get down upon our knees and pray until we are filled with the spirit of peace. It matters not whether you or I feel like praying; when the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we should pray til we do. You will find that those who wait till the spirit bids them pray will never pray much on this earth. My doctrine is, it is your duty to pray. If I could not master my mouth, I would my knees, and make them bend until my mouth would speak. If the devil says you cannot pray when you are angry, tell him it is none of his business; and pray until that species of insanity is dispelled and serenity is restored to the mind. Let no person give up prayer because he has not the spirit of prayers; neither let any earthly circumstance hurry you while in the performance of this important duty. – Brigham Young
The number of prayers we pray may be important, but the number of prayers we answer may be even more important. – Dieter Uchtdorf
The Lord’s quiet delays allow us to search within ourselves for answers.
If Heavenly Father wanted to punish us, He’d simply answer every prayer.
“I haven’t received an answer to my prayer. What am I doing wrong?” Maybe you’ve done nothing wrong. Maybe you just haven’t done the right things long enough.
God will not always come when you call – but he will always be on time.
Absence of a “no” is a “yes.”
Bible Dictionary: “Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.”
When it comes to receiving answers to our prayers, Jeffrey Holland has said, “You may not get everything you want, but you will always get what you need.
When you pray, be the one who receives commands and not the one who gives them.
There are 1440 minutes in a day – how many do you spend in prayer to God?
For prayers to be efficacious, they must be in harmony with the plan of heaven. The prayer of faith bears fruit when such harmony exists, and this harmony exists when prayers are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit manifests what our petitions should be. Absent this inspired guidance, we are inclined to “ask amiss,” to seek only our will and not “Thy will.” It is as important to be guided by the Holy Spirit while praying as it is to be enlightened by that same Spirit while receiving an answer to prayer. Such prayer brings forth the blessings of heaven because our Father “knoweth what things we have need of, before we ask him” and He answers every sincere prayer. (“Our Path of Duty” Bishop Keith B. McCullin April 2010 Conference)
Sometimes we look for answers in the wrong place. He answers in the way he wants, not in the way we want. Many of his answers will come through the scriptures. They may also come through our parents, priesthood leaders, home teachers, etc.
Don’t ask the Lord to guide your footsteps unless you’re willing to move your feet.
When we don’t feel answers…
1. Asking the right question? Sometimes we want some particular help from the Lord so badly that we ask the same things over and over again. Restructure your thinking.
2. Are you to the point in your life where you are ready to accept the answer?
When our 5-minute prayer becomes an hour, we learn something in the last 5 minutes we couldn’t have learned in the first 5 minutes.
Guidelines of revelation:
1. Strong feelings in and of themselves don’t mean anything
2. God decides who, what when and where
3. Never contrary to revealed doctrine and principles
4. Stewardship bound – only for those under you
5. Some things do not matter to the Lord D&C 60
6. Don’t talk too much about spiritual things
Brother of Jared – Don’t come to me with problems, come with recommendations.
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings.
It is not such a difficult thing to learn how to pray. It is not the words we use particularly that constitute prayer…True, faithful, earnest prayers consists more in the feeling that rises from the heart and from the inward desire of our spirits to supplicate the Lord in humility and in faith, that we may receive his blessings. It matters not how simple the words may be, if our desires are genuine and we come before the Lord with a broken heart and contrite spirit to ask Him for that which we need. – Joseph F. Smith
If you pray, why worry? If you worry, why pray?
1. Ask for assistance
2. Study issues in your mind
3. Make a decision
4. Request confirmation – ask direct yes/no question
Be careful what you pray for – look at Joseph Smith. You may be required to start doing a lot more than you’re currently doing. Don’t ask for advice unless you are willing to follow His counsel.
Don’t be afraid to pray about the little things – life is basically made up of a lot of little things.
Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you that is expedient for you. 3 Nephi 18:20
Things we can do that lead to revelation: (D&C 76:19 Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon)
1. Be in the right place at the right time doing what the Lord has commanded
2. Stop to ask questions – John 5:29
3. Be in tune with the spirit
4. Take time to meditate and ponder
Prayer keeps a man from sin and sin keeps a man from prayer.
Pray as though everything depends on the Lord, then work as though everything depends on you.
Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane was answered in the negative.
Have five minutes of meditation before and after every prayer.
Scriptures about pondering: John 1:8, Psalms 19:14, Psalms 77:12, Psalms 104:34, Psalms 119:99, 1 Timothy 4:12-15, DC 9:8, DC 43:34, Proverbs 4;26, Luke 2:19
Reasons why we may not receive an answer to prayer:
1. Fear the response
2. Lack of faith (because we haven’t done our part)
3. Already been given the answer
4. There might be more than one answer D&C 60:5, 61:22, 62:8
5. Cannot pray away someone else’s free agency
6. Too busy or distracted
7. Not worthy to have the Holy Ghost with us
There is one prayer that is always answered. “Please give me strength to make it through this trial.”
Prayer
I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t lost my temper
I haven’t been greedy, grumpy,
Nasty or overindulgent,
I’m very thankful for that.
But in a few minutes God
I’m going to get out of bed.
And from then on, I’m probably
Going to need a lot of help. Amen
If my child asks “Can I have candy?” at 8 am or “Can I go play in the street?” I have to say no. It’s not because I don’t love them or that I want to ruin their lives. I just know that it’s not in their best interest and will not bring them lasting happiness. It is the same with Heavenly Father answering our prayers.
Have your own version of a sacred grove.
There was a protestor during 2nd Gulf war on the Dr. Phil Show. She said, “We’ve tried to talk to the leaders of our country but they won’t listen to us!” Dr. Phil said, “Maybe they have listened to you, but they don’t agree with you. They listened but then said no.” Sometimes our Heavenly Father does the same.
There are a lot of things that Satan can imitate. He cannot imitate the burning in the bosom or feelings of peace.
We’ve been commanded to ask “with real intent.” What does that mean? It doesn’t refer to the intensity of our prayers. It refers to the fact that we “intend” to follow through and act on the will of the Lord we receive.” – Doug Williams
The principle stated in that revelation applies to every communication from our Heavenly Father. “It shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.” We cannot force spiritual things.
Revelations from God- the teachings and directions of the spirit – are not constant. We believe in continuing revelation, not continuous revelation. We are often left to work out problems without the dictation or specific direction of the Spirit. That is part of the experience we must have in mortality – Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Jeffrey R. Holland gives this suggestion that sums up what we have discussed about prayer. “Find a private place and kneel comfortably and calmly in the center of the room. For a few moments say nothing, just think of Him. Just kneel there and feel the closeness of his presence, his warmth, his peace. With humility, express your gratitude for every blessing, every good thing you enjoy. Share with Him your problems and fears. Talk to Him about each one and pause long enough to receive his counsel.” (On Earth as it is in Heaven pg. 37)
Glen L. Pace once said, “I have tried to understand why we must experience tribulation before we can experience the ultimate communication. It seems there is an intense concentration which must be obtained before our pleadings reach our Father in Heaven, and perhaps even more importantly before He can get through to us. Sometimes we must be straining very hard to hear the still small voice. Before we can be taught things hidden from this world, we must be on a spiritual frequency which is out of this world. Adversity can help fine-tune this frequency. Even the Savior communicated more intensely with our Father in Heaven when he was in agony.”
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