Does Prayer "Work"?
Here is a really intersting article from NPR. The article is written after an extensive Harvard study on prayer and the recovery of patients. The study found that not only does prayer not help but more over actually the patients who found out they were being prayed for had more complications. I actually have no opinion abou this study other than it should cause Christians to look at not only our understanding of prayer but our understanding of God's interaction with our prayers and in our circumstances. It is very interesting. I hope this post will encourage some responses, I think it is a conversation worth having.
Pax
Stephen
posted by Mary Liz Ingram @ 7:53 PM
4 Comments:
This is interesting, but I don't think prayer is something that can be measured in a scientific study. Trying to quantify and measure prayer's effectiveness seems like trying to put God in a box. The Spirit moves where She wills.
I agree with the comment about boxing God in but I also have to ask myself, because of these results, what is the role of prayer in scripture as well as how it has been abused in a consumerist instant gratification society.
Once again listening and giving us whatever we want are two totally diffrent things, do we want a sugar daddy God or do we want the God that Jesus prays to?
Pax
Stephen
I think this all depends on perspective. For instance, if I found out that Jerry Falwell was praying for me, I would probably roll my eyes and be sickened. However, if I am encouraged by my spiritual director that he is praying for me...that is a huge help & encouragement to me.
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