When vibez aren't enough...

Knottie_22382082

November, Jesus was Jewish, too, so y'all have that in common if you need an ice breaker.  :)I'm kneeling with the "usually pray to God, not Jesus specifically" crowd.  I do additionally go full-on traditionalist Catholic and invoke specific saints when people ask for prayers/good thoughts on occasion, though.  This has the bonus feature of freaking my fundie relatives right the foff out. 

FallinAgain

honestly, I could probably take a ride on God's surfboard if I felt like I could feel/see things happening from Him. I know that's not faith and that's not how it works, but there you go. Hmmm.  I don't think you have to have the kind of faith that means you believe even if you never see (or feel) any results.  Honestly, I'll have times when I'll say, "look, man, I NEED to see something just to know you're there and paying attention b/c this faith stuff is hard and not working so good right now."  And yes, I actually have this kinds of conversations with God.

tastyburger

ah, I see.  I get how seeing the smaller prayers be answered unquestionably might be more "helpful" than praying for a "larger, big picture" type of situation that you then have to make judgements whether or not your prayer was answered.the sweetest prayer I've ever heard is that my niece and nephew ask God to say hi and give a hug and kiss to their dead relatives.  "Please say hi and kiss Grandmom Becky and Uncle Jay" type of stuff.  I think it's really helpful for them to visualize/feel God taking care of the family that's moved on.

HappyTummy613

I guess my vibezz are good thoughts with a tinge of spirituality.  I like a good interfaith jamboree.

tastyburger

Honestly, I'll have times when I'll say, "look, man, I NEED to see something just to know you're there and paying attention b/c this faith stuff is hard and not working so good right now." And yes, I actually have this kinds of conversations with God. that sentiment seems somewhat common in a group of my friends who talk to God regularly.  like a "listen, I understand I am to be tested and life is hard, but GIVE ME SOMETHING TO GO ON" convos.  You'd think God would pick up on human nature's probability to need a bit of affirmation and send regular emails. : )I have also known people (one of my sisters, for example) who think that if you have to question faith then you don't have it.  Those type of people confuse me and turn me off on God/religion.  I think if I had less of those people in my life then maybe I'd be a more spiritual adult instead of just being mad/confused.

FallinAgain

Yeah, I don't really question the existence of God or that he is working in my life anymore, but I certainly question wtf he's doing a lot and really, really question a lot of Christian beliefs.  I couldn't have a faith that didn't stand up to me questioning it.  That ain't how I'm made and I think God made me so now he can deal with it.

buddhagouda

I wouldn't want to honor a God that couldn't stand up to questions. I think that's part of being human. I never question his existence, but there are certainly times when I question what he is doing. Generally, once I make it to the other side of a situation, I can see what was going on more clearly, but it's not always easy in the middle.

_Fenton

I'm going to have to go against Fallin's grain and say praying for someone to respond to an email is downright bizarre to me.

jens_a_ten

I am in the group who will take prayers/positive thoughts/whatever positive energy people give. I don't think it's odd to pray for strangers, or for little things or big things-- it's all good. I don't think I've ever prayed for someone to return an e-mail, but I don't see anything wrong with it. God's all "ask and you shall receive"-- and it's not like if he's doing little things for people, the big things won't be taken care of. He's God, he can handle it. ;)I also don't see anything wrong with questioning and searching your faith continually. I still do. I don't question if there is a god. But I do wonder why things are the way they are, where my beliefs fall on the huge gray scale of rights and wrongs, all that jazz. A lot of the time I don't pray for specific things to happen. Like "God, make me get this job I applied for". I pray for the right thing to happen, even if it's not what I want right at that moment-- and I pray for understanding and to feel happy and at peace even when things don't go exactly as I want.