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Thank you for such a thoughtful question. I believe deeply in the power of prayer, but there have been times in my life when I was troubled with the
same question and it has been my observation that nearly everyone I know who believes in the power of prayer, sooner or later faces this question.
I have learned that the principle suggested in "The Lord's" prayer prompts the right approach. He suggested we include in our prayers "thy will be done"
(Matthew 6:10) and with that kind of faith and trust in him it seems to me that we can open our hearts and ask for our righteous desires. If he then does not answer the way we like, our trust in him in asking that his will be done should help us accept the answer and not loose our faith.
The Bible is quite clear in its encouragement to petition our Father in Heaven in prayer, and express to him our needs and hopes. He assures us,
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man
is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which
is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:7 - 11) And also, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven with the wind and tossed." (James 1:5 - 6) These are just a few of the scriptures encouraging us to Pray.
The Book of Mormon suggests that if we plead with the Lord for his blessings and then ignore the needs of poor and downtrodden, that our prayers may be
in vain. It reads, "Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; Yea, cry unto him for
mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not
cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you. And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need-I say
unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith." (Book of Mormon | Alma 34:17 - 28)
Again, I think we should pray for the appropriate needs and desires that we may have, but we need to be sure to acknowledge that his will be done and then let us do our part to reach out to others in need and be instrumental in the
Lord's answer to their prayers.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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