Should I pray over EVERYTHING?

[Nodnarb]

Hey so I got a question:) Do you guys think you should pray over everything?? I mean yeah you should always have a prayer in your heart and all but should I pray every single time something doesn't turn out right? Even small things like for example..... Lets say I got stung by a bee and I want the pain to go away! Should I pray for help or just deal with it? Do you guys think we should say a prayer every time before we go somewere like to work or the store?

[the Ogre]

Okay, I suck. I once prayed for the Utah Jazz during the finals the second time around.

I have never prayed for a bug after I squished it including the bee that stung me. Mosquitoes? No. Cockroaches? No. Most spiders? No. Lobster? Yes, but that was before I ate it.

[pam]

I think so many of those prayers come down to individuals. If you think it's needed and appropriate, go for it. Personally I wouldn't pray over a bee sting but would if heading to work. Morning prayers could usually include safety through the day including your travel to and from work.

[Robert_Mason]

I would say that you should only pray if (1) you have already done everything else you can possibly do before you went to pray for help or (2) you feel the need to thank Him for something particularly good or unexpected.

It's my personal opinion that God expects you to try and do things before you ask Him for help (thus #1), and that if you spend your time giving thanks for things which happen every single day (thank you for not making me die on the way to work, thanks for keeping the dog from scratching up the furniture, thanks for not repealing the law of gravity, thanks for...) then you're going to spend all your time praying, and none of your time actually doing anything.

[skalenfehl]

I think sometimes we get caught up in thinking that praying only means "calling" the Lord. But if you heart is continually drawn out to him in prayer, whether you're stung by a bee, mowing the lawn or going to sacrament meeting, the point is that your heart and mind are connected with Him and your thoughts are focused. Casual conversation with the Lord can also help you to literally mind what you think, therefore minding what you say.

I think it's a personal thing, but I don't see anything wrong with opening your prayer in the morning and closing it at night. I wouldn't see it the same as formal prayers at church or meetings, etc. Just my two cents. Consider Alma 37:36-37:

Alma 37: 36-37

36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

[Gwen]

i think it depends on your level of faith and experience.

when i gave birth to my kids, i asked my husband for a blessing before we left for the hospital and that was just the first of many prayers i said through those experiences.

our cat had an infection in her leg, didn't worry about praying about it, took her to the vet. however, when the first round of meds didn't get it and we had to do something stronger i did include her in my prayers.

i burned my arm the other day and it blistered, hurt, but not something i'm going to pray about. life has taught me it will heal.

my son, 7 at the time got a fairly large splinter in his foot. it was hurting him a lot and though i didn't want to we had to get it out. daddy had to hold him down so he wouldn't move while i pulled it out. just before i went to pull it out he yells "wait wait, can we have a prayer" after a prayer he was able to have the strength he needed to let me pull it out. it became a testimony building experience for him. i probably would not have prayed over a splinter but for him it was a good and the right thing.

the lord has told us to pray always, i personally think he would like us to grow in time and not need him for every single little thing in our lives but if we do pray for "everything" i don't think he minds.

[Tough Grits]

I agree with the answers that have been given, especially Pam and skalenfehl.

Prayer is personal. Prayer is also something that can be our communicated thoughts, as skalenfehl mentioned. My children and I pray every morning in the car before we head to school. We pray together at night. We pray over our meals.

Those are our main prayers, but there are many times during the day when I offer quick "spur of the moment" prayers. These quick prayers can be prayers of thanks or prayers that ask for healing to those I just found out were sick or prayers for myself when I am getting too stressed or upset at something/somebody.

However, I also find myself "talking" to Heavenly Father throughout the day/week just as a means of conversation and letting Him know that I love him even when I don't need/want anything.

Does that make sense?

~TG

[Seanette]

I agree with the answers that have been given, especially Pam and skalenfehl.

Prayer is personal. Prayer is also something that can be our communicated thoughts, as skalenfehl mentioned. My children and I pray every morning in the car before we head to school. We pray together at night. We pray over our meals.

Those are our main prayers, but there are many times during the day when I offer quick "spur of the moment" prayers. These quick prayers can be prayers of thanks or prayers that ask for healing to those I just found out were sick or prayers for myself when I am getting too stressed or upset at something/somebody.

However, I also find myself "talking" to Heavenly Father throughout the day/week just as a means of conversation and letting Him know that I love him even when I don't need/want anything.

Does that make sense?

~TG

Makes total sense to me, and seems admirable.

Regular prayer is a challenge for me, especially when emotionally down (when I'm feeling unloved/unlovable, I just don't want to bother anyone with having to deal with me). Getting DH off the computer long enough for family prayer is also an ongoing struggle. (sigh)

[mikeboy]

I almost never pray for my food, and my sister thinks I'm totally evil for it. Maybe I am..

I think Heavenly Father is happy when we pray, no matter what it is. In my mind, it shows that we trust him/ need him. At the same time, I don't think it's necessary to pray for every bee sting. For me, personally, I try not to ask "too much" of Heavenly Father, because it makes me feel like a mooch. And like has already been said, we need to do things on our own and become independent (afterall, that's our ultimate goal).

I think it's a personal thing, but I don't see anything wrong with opening your prayer in the morning and closing it at night. I wouldn't see it the same as formal prayers at church or meetings, etc. Just my two cents.

Amen. (pun intended)

As an Apostle once said, "when you say Amen, the prayer begins".

[Traveler]

Hey so I got a question:) Do you guys think you should pray over everything?? I mean yeah you should always have a prayer in your heart and all but should I pray every single time something doesn't turn out right? Even small things like for example..... Lets say I got stung by a bee and I want the pain to go away! Should I pray for help or just deal with it? Do you guys think we should say a prayer every time before we go somewere like to work or the store?

If you are LDS, I suggest you look up prayer in your published LDS Bible dictionary. I believe you will fine your answer pluse you will likely learn some other important things about prayer.

The Traveler

[Justice]

Pray over the things you want the Lord's help, blessing, or power with, for yourself or other people.

I think the pray always might be more related to being thankful for every good thing you receive. It will help you remember where it comes from, and will help fight pride if you thank Him in all things.

[Tough Grits]

I think the pray always might be more related to being thankful for every good thing you receive. It will help you remember where it comes from, and will help fight pride if you thank Him in all things.

Absolutely! I am always amazed by the power of gratitude. How quickly I feel the Spirit and feel peace when I remember to thank Heavenly Father for all my blessings.

Lately, I have discovered an even deeper peace as I have stretched myself to express gratitude in my prayers for my trials and hardships.

Events and situations that were once very painful to think about, have now revealed themselves to be great blessings in my life.

~TG

[Hemidakota]

Hey so I got a question:) Do you guys think you should pray over everything?? I mean yeah you should always have a prayer in your heart and all but should I pray every single time something doesn't turn out right? Even small things like for example..... Lets say I got stung by a bee and I want the pain to go away! Should I pray for help or just deal with it? Do you guys think we should say a prayer every time before we go somewere like to work or the store?

I do...