Does prayer help people pass tests, succeed at jobs?

[Emergent, RN]

I was reading another thread where someone passed the NCLEX on second try, and gave her recommendations for others. In addition to her study plan, she attributed her success to prayer.

First of all, someone who took 2 tries to pass, while certainly a role model for perseverance after defeat, isn't the first person I'd look to as an academic role model.

Secondly, I believe study and hard work, not prayer, is the secret to success. Many people have succeeded in life without prayer. I find the whole concept of God blessing some, but not others, wrong.

I believe in God, I believe in prayer, but God is not Santa Claus who gives presents to good children and coal to bad ones. Prayer should be a means to connect with The Almighty to grow spiritually, not ask for worldly favors, in my opinion. I disagree with the name it and claim it version of Christianity.

[Sciencegirl08]

I believe that God helps those that help themselves, meaning that we are somewhat marginally responsible for our outcomes in life. I do think that God hears us when we pray and he takes our requests into consideration, but ultimately he knows best. Im not a fan of the "name it and claim it Christianity" either, except I like to call it "prosperity gospel".

As for the person that attributed their success of passing the NCLEX partly to prayer, they may have prayed for perseverance or peace as they took the NCLEX,not necessarily a prayer to pass the test.

[ClaraRedheart, BSN, RN]

No point in praying if you're not going to do the work to back it up! When I pray regarding things like that, I pray that God helps me to remember what I've studied for and for it what I've learned to come back to me. When I was job hunting, I prayed for God's will. I don't want to be anywhere he doesn't want me to be. That added a whole new level of peace to the job hunt for me. I truly believe that where I am is where I am meant to be as well.

[Emergent, RN]

These type of statements strike me as some sort of spiritual ego trip. People will loudly proclaim how much they prayed, then let everyone know how blessed they are by God with all these positive things.

What about someone who prays and prays for their child with cancer, and the child dies? Are they on the unfavorite list? And, what about those with good fortune, nice houses, good jobs, healthy children, who never pray?

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

These type of statements strike me as some sort of spiritual ego trip. People will loudly proclaim how much they prayed, then let everyone know how blessed they are by God with all these positive things.

What about someone who prays and prays for their child with cancer, and the child dies? Are they on the unfavorite list? And, what about those with good fortune, nice houses, good jobs, healthy children, who never pray?

It is not our place to question God's actions. People who believe in the power of prayer and feel it helps them should indeed pray. I believe in God and here is why. I was a badly lapsed Catholic who hadn't been in a church in years. I was depressed a acutely suicidal. I took a what should have been a fatal combination or sleeping pills, Benadryl and vodka. My husband who has never come home from work early before or since came home a noon and found me in time to get me to a hospital. I believe that Devine intervention played a part in my survival. Other's might disagree and that's their prerogative.

I have often wondered why some people get so worked up about another's spirituality. Faith is s deeply personal thing not to be judged by others.

Hppy

[Emergent, RN]

I'm not at all "worked up", I was merely bringing up a subject for discussion. I hope my opinion doesn't upset you, but, it's just my viewpoint, nothing more or less.

As far as faith being a "personal thing", when one brings it up in conversation, I guess they aren't being private about it, are they?

[sanbenrn]

Yes prayer helps.

[James W.]

What is that age old saying?

Ah yes,

"Praise be to the Gods, but pass the ammunition!"

AKA: faith via a solid grounding in the test data to be evaluated, scientific validity-wise,

is an evidence-base proven, best-practice approach..

& to beseech your deity of choice instead, is frankly, not really a reliable alternative.

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

Prayer helps me to be my best. In that way, it definitely helps me with tests and other challenging situations. Of course, it doesn't take the place of studying. I have to study. It helps me keep my mind in a good place, stops anxiety from taking over, helps me access the information I already know.

Each individual is on a personal spiritual journey and understands God the best way she can. Some people do think of God as a kind of santa claus, because that's where they are. God loves these people as much as He loves people who understand Him in a more abstract way.

When people are in state of Grace, when they feel blessed, praise with open hearts, they are not spiritually superior to people who are suffering. Christ suffered and He was perfect. This is one of the most important messages of Christianity and what separates it from other major religions.

The mother who prays for her child to live and watches him die is equally precious to God as the nursing student who prays for an A and gets one. Both prayers were heard and both were answered. Our prayers are answered even when we don't get what we ask for. It isn't wrong to ask God for what we want, even if we can't have it, and even if it is for something mundane. Prayer is important because it opens the relationship between human and God. It is this relationship that nourishes us during both suffering and joy. We ask for mundane things like good grades, a promotion, and more noble things like a child to make it through surgery during prayer because we are human and these things are concerns of our human lives, but our spirits are getting something much more profound in the asking.

[offlabel]

Prayer helps me to be my best. In that way, it definitely helps me with tests and other challenging situations. Of course, it doesn't take the place of studying. I have to study. It helps me keep my mind in a good place, stops anxiety from taking over, helps me access the information I already know.

Each individual is on a personal spiritual journey and understands God the best way she can. Some people do think of God as a kind of santa claus, because that's where they are. God loves these people as much as He loves people who understand Him in a more abstract way.

When people are in state of Grace, when they feel blessed, praise with open hearts, they are not spiritually superior to people who are suffering. Christ suffered and He was perfect. This is one of the most important messages of Christianity and what separates it from other major religions.

The mother who prays for her child to live and watches him die is equally precious to God as the nursing student who prays for an A and gets one. Both prayers were heard and both were answered. Our prayers are answered even when we don't get what we ask for. It isn't wrong to ask God for what we want, even if we can't have it, and even if it is for something mundane. Prayer is important because it opens the relationship between human and God. It is this relationship that nourishes us during both suffering and joy. We ask for mundane things like good grades, a promotion, and more noble things like a child to make it through surgery during prayer because we are human and these things are concerns of our human lives, but our spirits are getting something much more profound in the asking.

Wise.

[quiltynurse56, LPN, LVN]

I would pray before my tests and the NCLEX. At the very least, it centered me and relaxed me. Helped reduce the stress level. It allowed me to focus on who I am and that whatever the results, God still loves me.

[loriangel14, RN]

So how do you explain people that succeed and are atheists if prayer are necessary for success?