Aren't our prayers almost worthless?

sdegutis · #1 Jul 4, '12, 3:24 pm

Isn't it true that, for horrible sinners like me, even after coming out of confession, our prayers are only as worth a penny when every one of our needs are as the cost of a house?

I don't pray anymore, really.

When I was a Protestant of sorts, before I knew about Catholicism, I prayed all the time. And it was amazing because I thought prayer was the majority of where God's grace came from. And so I had an amazing amount of strength that came from Jesus in order to avoid sin and know right from wrong and love God with all my heart. I came to many Catholic conclusions without even being Catholic, and I had the power at that point to life a blameless life, which I led for about a month or two.

But now that I'm a Catholic, I know that the Sacraments are how God usually ministers His Grace, and while we need prayer to accept the grace within the Sacraments, I can't see that other prayers, such as outside of Mass or Confession, are efficacious at all. Sure, God has delivered us with material things because of our prayers (probably my wife's more than mine since she's practically a saint). Our house, our baby, my job, all things like this have gone well because of our prayers.

Yet none of this matters to me. What I want to do is be delivered from my own sinfulness, and stop offending God in severely grave matters practically every day and week. This is what I pray about, but God doesn't answer my prayers. Then isn't it true that my prayers are worthless because of how sinful I am? I pray that I can make it through temptations faithfully but I lose faith and heart in the middle of them and give in. I pray that I can do all of my duties on earth with heart and love, and yet I fail at practically every single duty I have and I fail to do them with even a slight bit of love.

So why should I pray? Yes, I know, Jesus said I should pray. But my prayers are apparently worth nothing. If anything, it's always been my wife's prayers that keep us having everything we need. So why should I ever pray, if apparently my prayers are virtually worthless?

sdegutis · #2 Jul 4, '12, 3:32 pm

I know that God doesn't listen to sinners. And even if I do find a way to get to confession, and if God decides not to kill me before that day (which He would be perfectly just in doing), my prayers would be worth so little. I'd have to pray ten thousand rosaries before a single small prayer of mine might get answered!

ltwin · #3 Jul 4, '12, 3:43 pm

What do you mean "God doesn't listen to sinners?" We are all sinners, even the saints among us. If God didn't listen to sinners, then how could he respond to the prayer "Be merciful to me a sinner?"

Why do you feel that you're prayers are worthless? Perhaps you should pray for God to open your eyes and ears to what he is saying to you when you pray. Perhaps he has already given you the grace you need, but now its up to you to walk in what he has already provided. That is a choice you have to make. Maybe you already have, but I've been trying to apply this same advice into my own prayer life.

MHT32 · #4 Jul 4, '12, 3:43 pm

You may not be in this bad of a situation if you prayed more. It feels like almost all of my prayers arent heard, yet I know something good will come out of perseverance. Also remember that we really arent the ones praying, it is the Holy Spirit praying inside of us. Trust me, those prayers are pretty powerful, even if they seem to have no effect. If God didnt give us anything to struggle with, we would all be practically saints. God hears all of our prayers, especially those of sinners. Christ didnt come for the saint, he came for the sinner. He is willing to help you, he probably just wants you to overcome this temporary struggle.

sdegutis · #5 Jul 4, '12, 3:44 pm

I feel like if I just pray all the time like I used to, and start trusting that God will always hear and answer my prayers, then I'm giving in to Protestantism or something. Because if that's how it works, what good are the Sacraments?

Gertabelle · #6 Jul 4, '12, 3:58 pm

Dude, take a breath. In....... Out........ In......... Out........

Have you ever read the book by C.S. Lewis called The Screwtape Letters? If you haven't, you need to. This fictional work is a series of letters between two demons about how to lead souls away from God so as to win them for hell. They'd be high-fiving each other over your post.

Here's the truth: you're a sinner. Your saintly wife: she's a sinner, too. The woman sitting here typing: sinner numero uno. Get over it. Really, snap out of it. Ask your dear wife to give you a good, solid "doh" slap on the back of the head. Maybe it'll help wake you up out of your pity party.

Seriously, my dear brother in Christ, none of us will ever be good enough. Knowing that you suck (pardon my language) at following Christ is a tremendous grace -- you can see that all the good in your life is from God's infinite love for you, not because of any merit of your own. You have nothing, yet God gives you everything, even your next breath.

His love for us is so completely unmerited. We are called to pray because it transforms us, not because it transforms God, moving His hand, as it were, from curse to blessing. And if you truly want to make progress in the spiritual life -- and it sounds as though you desperately desire it -- you must pray even more when you loathe the very idea of it. In those moments of shame and guilt, you will grow in the virtue of humility by casting your sinful rear end at His mercy. Pray Psalm 51 during those times.

And get to confession without any drama or long explanations. Confess, receive absolution. Try again. Repeat as necessary.

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta used to say, "To God nothing is small. The moment we have given it to God, it becomes infinite." Which is to say, give ALL to God as an offering. Some days, to be perfectly honest, I'm presenting God with a steaming bag of poo because that's the kind of day I had in the (lack of) virtue category. Does this mean I give up, because all I have to offer are my sins? NO! I give Him all because that is what He asks of me. And I strive after holiness as if it were my very breath.

I am also tempted as you describe above to give up when I fall into serious sin. And praying is like sitting in a flaming furnace during those times. Good. I can offer Him obedience to prayer that hurts, instead of more poo. And then I get to confession -- you don't wanna know how often I have to go sometimes!

So snap out of it and get to confession. And then get down on your knees and commit to trying again and again and again and again and again and again and again... It is not yours to judge whether the effort is worth it. If you love Him, you will keep His commandments -- especially when you screw up!

Now get out there and win one for the gipper!

Gertie

**the phoenix** · #7 Jul 4, '12, 4:24 pm

Two quotes from St. Padre Pio:

"Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer."

"Those who pray, have hope. Those who pray little, are in great danger. Those who do not pray, are lost."
- St. Padre Pio

Gods_Peace · #8 Jul 4, '12, 4:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdegutis

Isn't it true that, for horrible sinners like me, even after coming out of confession, our prayers are only as worth a penny when every one of our needs are as the cost of a house?

I don't pray anymore, really.

When I was a Protestant of sorts, before I knew about Catholicism, I prayed all the time. And it was amazing because I thought prayer was the majority of where God's grace came from. And so I had an amazing amount of strength that came from Jesus in order to avoid sin and know right from wrong and love God with all my heart. I came to many Catholic conclusions without even being Catholic, and I had the power at that point to life a blameless life, which I led for about a month or two.

But now that I'm a Catholic, I know that the Sacraments are how God usually ministers His Grace, and while we need prayer to accept the grace within the Sacraments, I can't see that other prayers, such as outside of Mass or Confession, are efficacious at all. Sure, God has delivered us with material things because of our prayers (probably my wife's more than mine since she's practically a saint). Our house, our baby, my job, all things like this have gone well because of our prayers.

Yet none of this matters to me. What I want to do is be delivered from my own sinfulness, and stop offending God in severely grave matters practically every day and week. This is what I pray about, but God doesn't answer my prayers. Then isn't it true that my prayers are worthless because of how sinful I am? I pray that I can make it through temptations faithfully but I lose faith and heart in the middle of them and give in. I pray that I can do all of my duties on earth with heart and love, and yet I fail at practically every single duty I have and I fail to do them with even a slight bit of love.

So why should I pray? Yes, I know, Jesus said I should pray. But my prayers are apparently worth nothing. If anything, it's always been my wife's prayers that keep us having everything we need. So why should I ever pray, if apparently my prayers are virtually worthless?

The closer you are to God, the more value your prayers have. To have a relationship with the creator, one would have to provide many acts of love each day, look constantly in prayer for solutions, and to offer yourself up as a sacrifice, and a victim of love.

The best way is to give yourself up in trust to and of God.

Jeanne S · #9 Jul 4, '12, 5:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdegutis

I feel like if I just pray all the time like I used to, and start trusting that God will always hear and answer my prayers, then I'm giving in to Protestantism or something. Because if that's how it works, what good are the Sacraments?

Where did you get the notion that it is unCatholic to pray?

Delaine75 · #10 Jul 4, '12, 5:29 pm

I believe God DOES listen to sinners because we are ALL sinners.

"I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” ~~ Luke 5:32

Why would God not listen to our prayers? I believe that God listens to every single one, whether spoken out loud or only in our hearts.

JimR-OCDS · #11 Jul 4, '12, 5:37 pm

Just watched a program with Oprah Winfrey, where she had on a scientist, Dr Larry Dossey, who had just written a book on the power of prayer.

In his research they took a control group of people and divided them into two groups. One group was prayed for, but did not know they were being prayed for. The other group, no one was prayed for, as far as the scientist knew.

The group which was prayed for, recovered from illnesses better, or had bad events turn good, far more than the group that was not prayed for.

His research showed that it didn't matter if the group prayed for were believers or not.

Also, it didn't matter that the group doing the praying, if they belonged to a religion or not, or if they were agnostics. The positive results were consistent.

They also conducted other studies on prayer and documented the positive results.

Jim

Lost and Found · #12 Jul 4, '12, 5:50 pm

Here's what prayer did for me. Believe what you will.

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=690768

MS_SURVEYOR · #13 Jul 4, '12, 6:20 pm

Oh My! I have a feeling you are falling into a trap by Satan.

"God doesn't hear your prayers."
"Why waste your time?"
"You're a sinner! God doesn't waste his time on sinners."
"What's a little pleasure going to hurt?"

He is always working. God gives a choice of free will. The Devil takes advantage of that. We all have dry times. We all have hard times. We have a choice. Pray or not? Faith or not? Don't give in to the lie.

If you're not going to pray, I'll pray for you.

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen

vsedriver · #14 Jul 4, '12, 6:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdegutis

I feel like if I just pray all the time like I used to, and start trusting that God will always hear and answer my prayers, then I'm giving in to Protestantism or something. Because if that's how it works, what good are the Sacraments?

why can't you do both? I pray every day and take the Sacraments. I can't imagine not praying.

**JRKH** · #15 Jul 4, '12, 7:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdegutis

I feel like if I just pray all the time like I used to, and start trusting that God will always hear and answer my prayers, then I'm giving in to Protestantism or something. Because if that's how it works, what good are the Sacraments?

Why does it have to be "either/or...??
Grace comes through many channels....

Peace
James