I don't pray...

[otseng]

I don't pray so that others might change,
I pray so that that I would change.

I don't pray so that I can tell God what to do,
I pray so that God can tell me what to do.

I don't pray so that there would be no problems,
I pray so that character can be developed in the midst of problems.

I don't pray so that what would be done is my will,
I pray so that my will would conform to God's will.

[janavoss]

I don't pray so that others might change,
I pray so that that I would change.

I don't pray so that I can tell God what to do,
I pray so that God can tell me what to do.

I don't pray so that there would be no problems,
I pray so that character can be developed in the midst of problems.

I don't pray so that what would be done is my will,
I pray so that my will would conform to God's will.

This is wonderful, Otseng, thank you. I have been learning these things about prayer recently myself.

[puddleglum]

I don't pray so that others might change,
I pray so that that I would change.

This is only half right. We should pray so that we will be changed and made more like God wants us to be but we also need to pray others will be changed. Consider what Paul said about the Jews:

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
(Romans 10:1 ESV)

This was clearly a prayer for God to bring about a change in others.

I agree with the rest of your post.

[otseng]

I don't pray so that others might change,
I pray so that that I would change.

This is only half right. We should pray so that we will be changed and made more like God wants us to be but we also need to pray others will be changed. Consider what Paul said about the Jews:

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
(Romans 10:1 ESV)

This was clearly a prayer for God to bring about a change in others.

I agree with the rest of your post.

Yes, thanks for pointing that out. My intention is that we should not pray for others to change to simply make me happier. Certainly we can pray for others' salvation or even comfort and healing. But, from my experience in prayer groups and even personal prayer, we spend too much time on changing things around us to conform to what we want.

[Elijah John]

I like that, and along the same lines, I do not pray for God to change the weather, but that we may find shelter in the storm.

[Sarek]

I pray for atheists to realize they are sinners like the rest of us and we all need to repent in our own custom.

Step one, if you don't know your a sinner how can you go into heaven?

[puddleglum]

[Replying to post 6 by Sarek]

That is a point that too many people overlook in their attempts at evangelism. No one will be interested in knowing how to be saved until he knows that he needs to be saved.

[fred barclay]

[Replying to post 7 by theophilus40]

Amen! Without knowledge of sin, why would anyone want to be saved? Saved from what?