ITT We Discuss Theology

[SWTXBelle]

My own take - praying for others is as much for YOU as for the others. It is a way of directing your energy towards others, and focusing less on yourself. It's a way of opening up to what God's will is - of course the ultimate prayer is to be accepting of that. But from a Christian perspective, we are told specifically when 2 or 3 are gathered in His name - and I think the point is that we are to be a community. That community in and of itself is able to act - and thus prayers are fulfilled. The support of the community is a good - and it expresses itself through prayer.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

My own take - praying for others is as much for YOU as for the others. It is a way of directing your energy towards others, and focusing less on yourself. It's a way of opening up to what God's will is - of course the ultimate prayer is to be accepting of that. But from a Christian perspective, we are told specifically when 2 or 3 are gathered in His name - and I think the point is that we are to be a community. That community in and of itself is able to act - and thus prayers are fulfilled. The support of the community is a good - and it expresses itself through prayer.

*nod* I acknowledge that prayer can be beneficial to the pray-er, I just.. obviously not every community prayer is fulfilled, even if they do everything they can for themselves so it seems like why bother to make those community connections through prayer and not through some other format.