Why do you pray outside of gratitude?

[u/Best-Friend7982]

Prayer as an act of worship, to glorify God and to thank God for who he is and for what he's done makes sense to me. Prayer requests make less sense. I've been told since Sunday School that God isn't a genie in a lamp but everybody's behaviour suggests otherwise.

I also believe in predetermination. So it's not that I see a problem with prayer, I'm just confused why people think it determines their outcome when God has your life already written so it was never in your power?? Nothing ever surprises God.

edit: thanks for the downvotes :) if you feel that its wrong to ask questions about the bible and to grow in your faith you might need to reevaluate your relationship with God

[u/ducksinaspiral]

In Genesis 18, God said He would wipe out all of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham plead on behalf of any of the righteous people in the city, asking God that if there were any, that He'd spare the city. God agreed.

In Exodus 32, the Israelites made a golden calf to worship instead of worshipping God, and God told Moses that He would let His anger burn against them and wipe them out. Moses asked God to be merciful, and He agreed.

Multiple times in the New Testament, someone would ask Jesus to heal a sick person, and He would agree. (Sometimes touching the sick, sometimes following their family member to the sick person, or sometimes even instantly healing from afar!)

Outside of that, prayer is just any form of talking to God. It doesn't necessarily always have to be gratitude or asking for things! Sometimes, I just tell Him how I'm feeling, talk about my day, or vent my frustrations. Not because He doesn't know already, but because it's a way to grow closer to Him and you can't build a relationship without conversations.