I am not religious, but I was raised in a very religious household. I have a question about prayer for those who believe in it, but I'm kind of afraid of coming across in a nasty way. I honestly don't mean to - but I have a question for people who believe in the power of prayer.
If God has a plan for each of us, and if what happens in life is God's will, then why pray for certain things to happen? Those things will either happen or not, according to God's plan. Why do you think God's plan will be changed or influenced by your prayers?
I am thinking specifically of a case where there is a very sick, potentially dying person. This person's family asks for prayers for her recovery. If God plans for this person to recover, she will, but honestly - if it's God's plan for this person to die, will God change his mind because enough people prayed for her recovery? Does that mean that God was wrong in the first place?
I guess this can apply to any situation where people pray for a certain outcome. Can anyone help me understand?
If this is offensive to you, please accept my apologies. I would love to have a real discussion of the issues, but I understand how my questions can rub people the wrong way.