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Praying for the impossible is a waste of time.

Praying for the impossible is a waste of time, because a prayer like that doesn't work. Now before you believers in prayer click to another blog in disgust and before prayer skeptics exclaim, 'Finally an end to this prayer nonsense,' I want you to understand where I am coming from.

Recently, I was asked, 'Should we pray for the impossible.' Normally, I would say yes, but this time my spirit said no. Here is the reason why I have changed my thinking. The definition of the word impossible is 'incapable of being done, undertaken, or experienced.' So if we pray for the impossible, then by definition we are praying for something that can't be accomplished. Or at least we believe that is it impossible to be accomplished.

Jesus' disciples prayed for what they believed to be impossible. Or at least their faith didn't not match with what they asked for. In Matthew 17:14-20. The disciples tried to cast out a demon from a boy but they could not. After Jesus cast the demon out of the boy, the disciples asked, why they couldn't cast the demon out. Jesus responded, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." The disciples didn't believe that it was possible or at least they didn't believe that it was likely, therefore it was impossible for them.

There are some things that I don't pray for because they are impossible. For example: I don't pray that God will lie to cover up my sin. I don't pray for God to lie because he won't. It is impossible. It says so in Hebrews 6:18. I would never pray for God to reverse what he did through Jesus. That would be an impossible prayer. It is impossible because it goes against God's unchangeable nature. Not only are these prayers fruitless but they would be a waste of time. Why bother asking for something that can't be done.

Here is what I would suggest. Believe in the infinite possibilities that come from praying to God. If we are going to pray, then we must believe that what we are asking for can be granted. Also, If we are sure that what we are asking for is God's will, then we should not only believe it to be possible, but we should expect it to be granted. With God the possibilities become endless. If we believe in a God who makes all things possible (Matthew 19:26), then we won't pray for the impossible. We will pray to a God who destroys the notion of impossibilities.