Does prayer help people pass tests, succeed at jobs?

Nurses Spirituality

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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.

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

Who said prayer is necessary for success? Atheists wouldn't admit it, but they aren't exempt from supernatural assistance. Odds are, there is someone praying to God for them.

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Who said prayer is necessary for success? Atheists wouldn't admit it, but they aren't exempt from supernatural assistance. Odds are, there is someone praying to God for them.

"Supernatural assistance"?

A bit like claiming..

'Its not my fault I stayed out to party - instead of consolidating

my essential knowledge base - the Devil made me do it!".

Yeah, right.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I sure believe so. But I also think it is precisely cause I BELIEVE IT.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

I agree that when I read an, "I passed the NCLEX on the #x try!" and they say all they did to prepare and then entirely attribute their success to God....ugh, what??? So, God also failed the NCLEX the other #x of times, too, then. He just decided to show up on that particular go around? :rolleyes:

I get praying to help you steady yourself, focus on the idea that you wish to do the work of nursing for the glory of God, but it's pretty weird to say that praying to God for help got you through the NCLEX. But, I went to church for a long time and that type of attributing one's hard-earned success as solely a blessing from God is kind of almost a reflex in terms of how it's expressed. They talk about all the ordinary or extraordinary things in their lives with the equal vigor of a rapper who won a Grammy, and all thanks and glory is given to God. It just comes out automatically. I don't really think they realize that it sounds like, to the uninitiated, a very crazy way to attempt passing the NCLEX.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Implicit in this discussion is the idea that we are discussing Christianity. I may be wrong and if so I apologize but having studied various world religions, it is apparent that deities from other faiths do not answer prayers of the people. Rather the faithful often spend most of their time trying to appease their god. What most don't understand is that it is a principle doctrine of Christianity go forth and spread the word. When we accept Christ into our hearts we accept that we are expected to be apostles of the faith.

I personally do not go over board in this area - I choose to share my faith by being at peace with myself and the world around me. When people ask me how I do that I will share my faith but never in a manner that suggest I am pushing it on someone else. I have many friends from many faith traditions and some with no belief in a higher power at all. We get along because we don't argue over matters of faith.

I might pray before a test, or an upcoming challenge but I do not pray to be successful at these endeavors but rather for the knowledge of His will and the courage and peace to accept what comes with grace and dignity.

Hppy

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Xians do have differences...

As a child, I was indoctrinated into the tenets of the ( admittedly minimalist)

Methodist Church mob, wherein praying for things,

as if asking Santa to cut a cool deal for being a devotee, was unheard of.

But I am aware that some current Xian sub-routines, particularly appealing

to Asian converts, overtly offer promise of prosperity, just like some ancient deities might be expected to.

Funnily enough, I recently caught the classic Conan the Barbarian movie on TV wherein Arnie (as Conan) makes vulgar supplication to his appointed deity Krum ( dear god, I hope I've spelt that correctly), along the lines of.. ( I've paraphrased here)..

"I 've never asked for much, but help me now if I matter to you, & I'll BELIEVE,

or, if you won't respond to my need - as I now plead, then to hell with you!"

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I am Christian with a fairly strong faith, that has been tested. I don't "pray" to ask for things, I have more of a running dialogue with God. Kind of like the Father in "Fiddler on the Roof" I tend to thank God for the gifts I get. rather than asking for favors.

To each his/her own. One does not have to pray (or have someone pray for them) or believe to be successful.

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"Supernatural assistance"?

A bit like claiming..

'Its not my fault I stayed out to party - instead of consolidating

my essential knowledge base - the Devil made me do it!".

Yeah, right.

A leap there.... but to your point, any human, Christian or atheist, has the capacity to rationalize anything to soothe his conscience.

A recognition of the supernatural by some really is a dog whistle to others that I find odd. It's like red to a bull. If it's not your deal, that's cool.

It's just that sometimes non believers don't want folks to believe as badly as some bible thumping Christians want them to.

And it's hard to tell them apart sometimes.

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Implicit in this discussion is the idea that we are discussing Christianity. I may be wrong and if so I apologize but having studied various world religions, it is apparent that deities from other faiths do not answer prayers of the people. Rather the faithful often spend most of their time trying to appease their god.

I'd have to say that yes you are wrong. you studied world religions but you came to this conclusion?

I'm no expert but I think it'd be safe to say that people from religions outside of Christianity believe that their deities answer their prayers too. To say that it's apparent that they do not tells me you did not pay attention to your college studies much or maybe you paid attention to your own bible studies more.

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Specializes in NICU.

This reminds me of Jaden Smith in "Pursuit if Happyness"

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.
Implicit in this discussion is the idea that we are discussing Christianity. I may be wrong and if so I apologize but having studied various world religions, it is apparent that deities from other faiths do not answer prayers of the people. Rather the faithful often spend most of their time trying to appease their god. What most don't understand is that it is a principle doctrine of Christianity go forth and spread the word. When we accept Christ into our hearts we accept that we are expected to be apostles of the faith.

I personally do not go over board in this area - I choose to share my faith by being at peace with myself and the world around me. When people ask me how I do that I will share my faith but never in a manner that suggest I am pushing it on someone else. I have many friends from many faith traditions and some with no belief in a higher power at all. We get along because we don't argue over matters of faith.

I might pray before a test, or an upcoming challenge but I do not pray to be successful at these endeavors but rather for the knowledge of His will and the courage and peace to accept what comes with grace and dignity.

Hppy

My prayer would be for calming for the test and when it's done I'd thank God/Jesus for the grace to get through it. But passing is, of course, the end result of my efforts, supported, then, by my faith. We have to meet halfway (or so.) I, too, do not like to beat others over the head with my faith.

It's my relationship with God and no one else's business.

One time it bled over to my coworkers is when two were gossiping about a couple in a room in our ED. Each member of the couple was transgender. When they asked me what I thought about it (I presume attempting to bait me to gossip or be ugly) I made a statement to the effect of, "no big, whatever makes them happy, it doesn't change my care for them."

The two nurses asked me if I was Buddhist. I then shared that I am not, but a Christian.

I was baffled that my behavior even needed to be questioned because it was the right thing to do. I hope that I show others by example.

I may have lost my point along the way in this post, but yes, prayer helps center me and keep me motivated when sometimes I just don't know how to put one foot in front of the other.

So many rely upon me and I have to be strong for myself and them, so, prayer tethers me in that respect. It's what works for me.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

With sincerity, it helps with everything.

I am very jaded man, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that prayer and closeness with God has helped me achieve success and refrain from very evil situations.

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