What happens when we pray?
See also: Why didn't my prayers come true? How come I can't hear God talking?
How you might answer: When we pray, it helps build up the relationship between us and God. We are usually the closest to people who we talk to the most often, and so setting aside time to pray each day helps us feel closer to God. There are a variety of ways to pray and things to pray for, but we should never forget that maintaining this relationship is important. When we say prayers, we can: thank God, ask God for something for ourselves, ask God for something for someone else, and/or say we're sorry to God. We won't always get what we want - and sometimes that can be very upsetting - but it's important to know that God doesn't always do what we want. Sometimes we aren't in control of things and that can be scary, but we can always lean on God and each other for help.
What might be behind their question: Kids live in the world of the tangible so when we pray and say we're talking to God, it can be frustrating or confusing to not hear anything back! There's also the very real possibility that we don't get what we pray for; sometimes we pray about silly things (getting a pony, etc.) and it's easier to write those off, but sometimes we pray about things that we really want to happen (someone who's sick getting better) and it still doesn't happen. This can logically lead kids (and many adults) into questioning why we pray. But praying isn't about getting what we want all the time; it's about connecting with God and being able to share our joys, hurts, frustrations, and triumphs.
How you might answer: When we pray, it helps build up the relationship between us and God. We are usually the closest to people who we talk to the most often, and so setting aside time to pray each day helps us feel closer to God. There are a variety of ways to pray and things to pray for, but we should never forget that maintaining this relationship is important. When we say prayers, we can: thank God, ask God for something for ourselves, ask God for something for someone else, and/or say we're sorry to God. We won't always get what we want - and sometimes that can be very upsetting - but it's important to know that God doesn't always do what we want. Sometimes we aren't in control of things and that can be scary, but we can always lean on God and each other for help.
What might be behind their question: Kids live in the world of the tangible so when we pray and say we're talking to God, it can be frustrating or confusing to not hear anything back! There's also the very real possibility that we don't get what we pray for; sometimes we pray about silly things (getting a pony, etc.) and it's easier to write those off, but sometimes we pray about things that we really want to happen (someone who's sick getting better) and it still doesn't happen. This can logically lead kids (and many adults) into questioning why we pray. But praying isn't about getting what we want all the time; it's about connecting with God and being able to share our joys, hurts, frustrations, and triumphs.