102: What Difference Does Prayer Make?

Jesus promises in Matthew 21:22 that "whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive if you have faith," and St. James affirms in James 5:16 that "the prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects."

Prayers may go unanswered if we ask for selfish things, as cautioned in James 4:3. God knows what's best and has a bigger plan for us.

God can answer prayers directly through miracles or indirectly by using natural events, family, friends, or even strangers.

Prayer can help us receive gifts and graces from God. It elevates our thoughts and feelings toward God and increases our trust in Him. It can also give us positive emotions.

Do you ever wonder if your prayers make a difference? Are you unsure if they are effective or if they have any impact?

Jesus promises, 'whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive if you have faith' (Matt. 21:22). St. James affirms that 'the prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects' (James 5:6).

Through prayer, we connect with a loving Father who responds to our needs. As Luke 11:13 states, 'How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'"

But some might say, "Hey, I've prayed for lots of things and I never seem to get them. Well...While we may think we know what we want, James warns us, 'You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions' (James 4:3), sometimes we pray for the wrong things, and God does not answer those prayers, because He knows what's best for us.

So, when we don't get what we ask for, it's important to believe that God has a bigger plan for us than we can imagine. Joe Heshmeyer suggests that 'God's plans for us consistently turn out better than our plans for ourselves.'"

When we pray to God, He doesn't change His actions towards us, but instead brings about what He had always planned to do, taking our prayer into account. Sometimes God grants our prayers directly or with a miracle, without any help from other sources. Sometimes he grants them indirectly, by using natural events, family, friends, or even strangers to answer our prayer.

So what is the effect of prayer? Well, Prayer is a helpful practice that can benefit us in many ways. It can help us receive the gifts and graces we need, as well as elevate our thoughts and feelings toward God. It can also increase our trust in God, and provide us with many other positive emotions. Even if our prayers aren't answered in the way we want, the benefits of prayer are still worth it. Nothing is more valuable than being able to talk with God through prayer.

So, why not pray more? Talk with God. Seek His guidance, find peace, and try to find God's loving plan for your life.

sources: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/what-difference-does-prayer-make
https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/prayer#e-effects-of-prayer