Have you ever found yourself praying for someone you've met?

[SubliminalSessions]

This is coming from someone who hasn't attended church in atleast 5 years. But I do believe in faith and prayer.

 

For the first time I can recall, I prayed for a guy I recently met whom I had romantic interest in. I spent about 10-15 minutes, but I thought all night what to come forward and ask for. Because you know, you can't change how someone thinks, or what they may have already decided.

 

I don't want to go into exactly what I prayed about, but I didn't focus so much on 'make him be with me, let him be mine NOW!'. It was because he opened up so much to me about his past, I prayed for peace for him...and I prayed that he (the guy) would not allow his past to affect the present and future negatively and prevent him from being able to move forward. That he not be so burdened by it. I prayed that if the person desired to move forward with me...that he could get past the issues and allow it happen. I also prayed for peace for myself, and patience...whether it happens or not. I also thanked him for all the lessons I've learned and the things that didn't work out to get me to this person and hopefully be a blessing.

 

I can say, after that...it's helped alot. I just know I've been asking here, there and everywhere trying to get answers. But comes a time where you just put everything aside and pray FOR them.

[todreaminblue]

I have prayed long and hard for feelings for a guy i have strong feelings to go away..i have even fasted many times.........i was ignored........

 

 

 

 

 

i gave up.........

 

 

i prayed last night and said....i will do what you want me to do , i will go where you want me to go, i only ask that if you wont take these feelings away, that they are not obvious enough to make him uncomfortable.......and i have asked god to let this particular guy see my heart ebcause i wan thim to know me....and choose to like me

 

i got my answer a bit later......

 

 

I already know he likes me...i try to deny it.......So i am not going to fight the feelings...i wouldnt pray to have a guy..........because i dont think it is something you get........it takes away the choice of an individual and god doesnt work that way its personal gain and a bit selfish really, doesnt take into consideration what the guy wants or needs or likes does it....a blessing would be for the guy you like.....to really see you and your true intentions...which are firmly held in the heart...unaffected by others or the world in genral true intentions always beat eternally true while your heart continues to beat..and if that is what that guy needs.......then the rest are simply choices that you and he make if they are right and good......what will eb will be......if a guy likes you for the right reasons and you are what he has been looking for, nothing and i mean nothing, will stop him from wanting to know you...deb

Edited August 29, 2013 by todreaminblue

[StanMusial]

This is coming from someone who hasn't attended church in atleast 5 years. But I do believe in faith and prayer.

 

For the first time I can recall, I prayed for a guy I recently met whom I had romantic interest in. I spent about 10-15 minutes, but I thought all night what to come forward and ask for. Because you know, you can't change how someone thinks, or what they may have already decided.

 

I don't want to go into exactly what I prayed about, but I didn't focus so much on 'make him be with me, let him be mine NOW!'. It was because he opened up so much to me about his past, I prayed for peace for him...and I prayed that he (the guy) would not allow his past to affect the present and future negatively and prevent him from being able to move forward. That he not be so burdened by it. I prayed that if the person desired to move forward with me...that he could get past the issues and allow it happen. I also prayed for peace for myself, and patience...whether it happens or not. I also thanked him for all the lessons I've learned and the things that didn't work out to get me to this person and hopefully be a blessing.

 

I can say, after that...it's helped alot. I just know I've been asking here, there and everywhere trying to get answers. But comes a time where you just put everything aside and pray FOR them.

 

I pray every night, for everyone I know.

[salparadise]

I dated a religious woman for about a year and a half. She's a wonderful person and I loved her. She was substantially conflicted between what she wanted and believed personally vs. what she was supposed to believe as dictated by the church and enforced by the priests. So sexuality was a struggle for her (and therefore me) during most of the relationship. She assured me during the early phase that she knew we couldn't put the genie back in the bottle and I had nothing to worry about, but then that's exactly what she tried to do.

 

So I prayed that she'd come to her senses and quit feeling like she had to be accountable to the priest, confess and accept the slut-shaming from the priest. It wasn't just for my own sake. I really wanted her to be at peace.

[runningfar]

I don't believe in prayer or other supernatural phenomenon, so, no, I have never prayed over anything or anyone.

 

Hypothetically, I don't think having just met them would prevent me if I did believe in those things though.

[Keenly]

My feelings on the topic :

 

When you tell some one " I'll pray for you " or any past tense version, I take it as " I pity you and I really wish you would make the same choices I make so your life would be better, because I know better than you what's best for you. "

 

 

Obviously , I have a biased opinion. But yeah, I see it as pity.

[pureinheart]

I pray for money.

 

Dasein, you realize you're on a roll right? Too funny... and FTR, so do I! Just as a side note, told the Lord if I had a choice of money or a relationship, asked that it be money...lol, not kidding either:D, oh and got the money BTW and am fine with that.

Edited August 30, 2013 by pureinheart

[pureinheart]

My feelings on the topic :

 

When you tell some one " I'll pray for you " or any past tense version, I take it as " I pity you and I really wish you would make the same choices I make so your life would be better, because I know better than you what's best for you. "

 

 

Obviously , I have a biased opinion. But yeah, I see it as pity.

 

I know what you're saying and have met up with some that don't want prayer, so always try to ask first. To the non believer it can sound condescending.

[pureinheart]

 

if a guy likes you for the right reasons and you are what he has been looking for, nothing and i mean nothing, will stop him from wanting to know you...deb

 

Tell the truth Deb- he will move heaven and earth to get to you, if this is too hard, he's not into you (you in general).

[pie2]

I pray for people all the time! It just depends on the situation. It's endless though, the amount of things we can pray for. But I think praying for someone else's wellbeing is a sign of maturity.

 

SubliminalSessions, what is your relationship with God like in general right now? Sometimes, if we're rebelling against God, our prayers aren't going to be heard by Him.

[pureinheart]

Dasein, you realize you're on a roll right? Too funny... and FTR, so do I! Just as a side note, told the Lord if I had a choice of money or a relationship, asked that it be money...lol, not kidding either:D, oh and got the money BTW and am fine with that.

 

Need to repent, was being arrogant...I have issues where relationships are concerned and have been burned financially because of them, but that's the past and now need to tell God I'm sorry again and forgive again...

 

Sorry for being arrogant:(

[pureinheart]

I pray for people all the time! It just depends on the situation. It's endless though, the amount of things we can pray for. But I think praying for someone else's wellbeing is a sign of maturity.

 

SubliminalSessions, what is your relationship with God like in general right now? Sometimes, if we're rebelling against God, our prayers aren't going to be heard by Him.

 

Need prayer Pie to expel arrogance and defiance:(

[pie2]

Prayin' sister! Man, great prayer, pih. I could use for some cleansing of defiance and arrogance myself. Just constant battles we all face.

 

((((hugs))))

 

ps Thank goodness God gives us what we need at the right time!

[SubliminalSessions]

SubliminalSessions, what is your relationship with God like in general right now? Sometimes, if we're rebelling against God, our prayers aren't going to be heard by Him.

 

Good question...but, I'm kind of confused by the last part you said

 

I guess I could say I'm not heavily into going to church or anything. I mean, my parents used to make us go to church from when I was a kid all the way to I was 20 or 21. We'd go Sunday. Tuesday. Friday. Wednesday. Thursday. Alternate.

 

So now that I'm on my own, I don't have any desire to join a church at this point. I feel like everything I learned over the years still lives with me today. And also being a gay man...I never felt the church very accepting of that. Especially when dealing with the Black church (people think Blacks are homophobic, which is not true. That stems from the organized church. Most of us wouldn't give a crap anymore than the next person). You grow up hearing that all your life, you wonder why people are DL and still in the closet struggling with their sexuality. I know there are some LGBT churches out there, but again...it's just in general. TBH, I've never really been into church (namely the people who attend them, who tend to behave completely sanctified in church, but soon as they walk out the door they are mean as sin). And, my parents have also gotten away from the church as well (my dad was always spiritual, but not into the organized church) in the last couple of years. Yet they are still believers.

 

So, as far as anything else...I still feel I can trust and believe in the Lord, without hearing from a man telling you how to live your life.

Edited September 3, 2013 by SubliminalSessions

[pie2]

I guess I could say I'm not heavily into going to church or anything.

 

TBH, I've never really been into church (namely the people who attend them, who tend to behave completely sanctified in church, but soon as they walk out the door they are mean as sin). And, my parents have also gotten away from the church as well (my dad was always spiritual, but not into the organized church) in the last couple of years. Yet they are still believers.

 

So, as far as anything else...I still feel I can trust and believe in the Lord, without hearing from a man telling you how to live your life.

 

The bible has many verses on the importance of attending church, encouraging each other, praising together, and learning together; there are clear instructions about remaining united with other believers.

 

As your opening line in this thread indicated, you don't agree with that, which led me to believe that it was possible your current connection with Jesus isn't as strong as it could be. When we're not submitting to God's instructions with our whole hearts, minds and souls, He's not going to be as receptive to our requests.

 

My response actually had nothing to do with your sexuality, as I didn't even realize you were male. Nonetheless, I believe that the only way to truly find the peace and answers you are looking for is to submit wholeheartedly to God, which includes the bible's instructions on how we express our sexuality in this lifetime.

 

You may not agree, and may have no desire to search more deeply about this topic. But, if so, the bible offers us unwavering insight into how we can reach the full potential that God has for us in this life.

 

God bless.

[SubliminalSessions]

My response actually had nothing to do with your sexuality, as I didn't even realize you were male. Nonetheless, I believe that the only way to truly find the peace and answers you are looking for is to submit wholeheartedly to God, which includes the bible's instructions on how we express our sexuality in this lifetime.

 

So where does the bible speak of how to express our sexuality in this lifetime? Maybe I'm missing something all these years that hasn't quite been explained.

 

As far as attending church...again, I have done it for many years. I don't have any desire to really do that again...atleast at this point in time. It's nothing even to do with church itself, it's just the whole kind of group sermon type of thing I'm just not interested in. And the fact too many people living these double-DL lives because they are being brainwashed by some of these less than scrupulous preachers.

 

Church tends to focus on marriage being between a man and woman. How I could possibly go through life being told anything otherwise is a sin...would leave me to believe that gay men shouldn't be treated with relationship potential, that they are simply for my disposal to **** and go. Probably a good reason so many of 'us' can't seem to get and stay in relationships as it is. We just ****, ****, **** because the church has taught us that our relationship not only has any value, but is an abomination.

[pie2]

So where does the bible speak of how to express our sexuality in this lifetime? Maybe I'm missing something all these years that hasn't quite been explained.

 

Please pray about how to best find the answers you are looking for. Reading the bible in its entirety is helpful, as is consulting with a pastor, and even doing a quick Google search for more information about this subject.

 

Best of luck!