“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
— Søren Kierkegaard
“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” — Søren Kierkegaard
We ask not to change God but to change ourselves. We pray to form a living relationship, not to get things done. Prayer is a symbiotic relationship with life and with God, a synergy which creates a result larger than the exchange itself.
Richard Rohr • Breathing Under Water : Spirituality and the Twelve Steps
“Prayer is the desire to pray.”
Roger Joslin • Running the Spiritual Path: A Runner's Guide to Breathing, Meditating, and Exploring the Prayerful Dimension of the Sport
Prayer, both ecclesial and personal prayer, thus ranks higher than all action, not in the first place as a source of psychological energy (“refueling,” as they say today), but as the act of worship and glorification that befits love,
James K. A. Smith • You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit
Beyond putting us in touch with other people, prayer puts us in touch with God.