Fr.TEDTalks
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Prayer changes the one who prays, not God
The speaker asks who taught that prayer is about getting things for ourselves and why we believe that. We often pray because we want or need things, but that is not the purpose of prayer. The main function of prayer is communion with God through thanksgiving, praise, and glorification; God is not a genie or Santa.
Citing Kierkegaard, the speaker says prayer changes the one who prays, not God, because God already knows our needs. Prayer teaches us gratitude, how to speak to God, and our dependence on Him.
Key moments
- The speaker questions who said prayer was about getting things for ourselves and why we think that.
- We pray because we want stuff or we need things, but that is not what prayer is about.
- The main function of prayer is our communion with God, including thanksgiving, praise, and glorification; God is not a genie in the sky or Santa.
- Soren Kierkegaard said the function of prayer is to change the one who prays, not the one who is being prayed to.
- Prayer changes us; God does not need to change because He knows what we need.
- Prayer is for us to learn to be grateful, to speak to God, and to understand that we depend on Him and need Him.
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