Can we pray for anything?

Dear Chaplain: Is there anything we shouldn’t pray to God about? — Signed, Ok to Pray Dear OK to Pray: Thank you so much for your question. Prayer means to ask, earnestly ask, inquire, request, or petition God, especially in worship. In the Christian faith there isn’t a list of rules about prayer; however, we are given instructions throughout the Bible on how to have effective prayers. Probably the most important thing we’re to have when praying is faith, believing that God will answer us when we pray, because without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We should also pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17), which means we should be praying throughout our day (thanking God for waking us up, praying over our food, asking for God’s help when we need it, praying for our families, as an example). And we should pray in every situation, right or wrong, because Proverbs 3:6 tells us if we acknowledge God in all of our ways...he will direct our paths. Perhaps the most well known biblical instruction about prayer is in Matthew 6:913, which is often referred to as the “Lord’s Prayer.” Jesus gave us this model as example of how we should pray :

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen”

I suggest we to take everything to God in prayer. He knows all about it anyway. And through prayer we can ask God for the things we need and want, in detail, and within reason. We’re not bothering him or being selfish. In fact, he wants us to come to him like little children because he wants us to depend on him for everything (Luke 18:17). Even if we’re hurt, angry, disappointed, etc., we ought to tell the Lord how we honestly feel and give ourselves space and time to sit with our feelings without lashing out or retaliating. We’re human, we have real feelings, and that’s OK. (I often find, when I give myself space and time to be human, to experience my natural emotions, and I admit to God how I truly feel even if I’m at fault, that’s when my answer or direction comes.) Confession to the Lord is good for the soul (1 John 1:9). So we should “talk to” God about everything, but there are limits to what we should “ask for.” We should ask God for the many things we know he’s willing to do for us, including miracles, but we should not ask for things we know are wrong, sinful or go against instructions and laws already given to us in the Bible. Additionally, we shouldn’t ask for things while having unforgiveness in our hearts (Mark 11:25, 26) or publicly, just to be seen by men (Matthew 6:5). I encourage you to continue research and seek answers concerning prayer, as it is our ultimate wireless connection.