If God changed His mind every time someone prayed, He’d be under our power and erked around all over the place. Yet, that seems to be the popular reason, most of the time, for which we pray. We want to change God’s mind to always suit our changing wishes, desires, and needs. However, we tend to forget that God, in theological terms, is immutable; in other words, unchangeable.

Maybe the following observation will help us keep in perspective the intent that’s supposed to take place when in prayer to our Father. In his Systematic Theology, Volume Two: God, Creation, Theologian Norman L. Geisler writes…

“God is omniscient . . . and an all-knowing Being cannot change His mind. If He does, He is not really all-knowing. Therefore, God cannot change His mind in answer to prayer.

“When we pray (or have prayed), God not only knew what we were going to pray, but He ordained our prayer as a means of accomplishing His purpose. Prayer is not a means by which we change God; it is a means by which God changes us.

“Prayer is not a means of our overcoming God’s reluctance; it is a way for God to take hold of our willingness. Prayer is not a means of getting our will done in heaven, but a means of God getting His will done on earth.”

By all means we should pray for others and for ourselves. If we’re praying according to His will, prayer indeed is the vehicle through which God has determined to act upon His unchanging will. Grateful we should be that He is stable and is the one firmly in control. After all, who wants to place trust in and worship a wishy/washy God?