Are unspoken prayer requests selfish?

[Macabre]

I often see posts on Facebook asking for unspoken prayer requests. Do you believe you deserve to know what you're praying for for that person? Or do you think we should just make assumptions, which are usually malicious, about the person because they may have done something terrible (such as infidelity)?

[Keith]

I think it depends. Because, the person may not be someone of faith. Or they are not where they needs to be in God. The person who is praying, needs to call upon the Holy Spirit of God, for wisdom and discernment, about the person. Once we are doing our part, God will do His part. There are a number of reasons, the person may phrase this type of prayer request, and because we who are praying, are connected to God, we have to honor their desire, and leave the rest to God. God is able to answer that prayer, according to James 5:16:............The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." In a more intimate setting, as a church or group, your suggestion would apply, but in a wider forum of unbelievers, there should be wisdom used. The Holy Spirit will work through our prayer, to effect the outcome for the individual, that is all that is important. Peace.

[xK]

Why not just pray for peace for that person? Pray that they can resolve whatever problems they are facing? There's no need to pray for a specific resolution.

[David]

I don't find unspoken prayer requests selfish at all. In fact, in a public forum like Facebook (or Yahoo Answers) for that matter it's not only understandable, but prudent. We need to honor unspoken requests as that person may not want others to know their personal problems. Even in small groups of fellow believers, we occasionally pray for unspoken requests. It would be foolish to judge someone for making one. Often, the reason comes out later. Certainly God answers prayer on those requests.

It is certainly easier to pray specifically, but if the person doesn't feel comfortable sharing that request we need to honor it.

[Rebecca]

Why would an unspoken prayer request be selfish? Couldn't you say the same thing in reverse, that it's entirely selfish -- and greedy, and gossipy -- that you would NOT pray UNLESS you know what you're praying for?

And why would you assume something nepharious about someone asking for prayer simply because they don't want to talk about why they need prayer in front of the whole dang world? Facebook? Darn skippy it would be an "unspoken" prayer request -- a request made to my true friends, who are surrounded by my acquaintences, who might also pray.

We all know how FB works; two and fifty virtual strangers among your ten really close friends, all of whom are reading everything you do and say, and likely spreading it to everyone else, perfectly innocently, of course. Some legitimately trying to be helpful; others like my mom, the very last person I would tell anything to because she would tell every last single person she came in contact with... "just to get people to pray for you, dear." No, Mom, just so you could have something to talk about. Lots of people like that.

In the end, my true friends will have the ability to call me, write me, ask me, whatever, and I can then choose to tell them, or not, but my friends most likely know what's going on, my acquaintances and coworkers don't need to know what's going on, but I will take the prayers nonetheless. Guaranteed, if I'm putting it out there on FB, it's not so I get the shiny red new Mustang for my birthday.

In the end, God knows what the issues are, and someone refusing to pray because they don't get let in on the secret? Geez. Then you are shooting yourself in your foot because you are denying yourself the chance to see God move on someone else's behalf.

And for myself, I'd rather have someone tell me, Pray for Dave. Unspoken need. Rather than, Pray for Dave. He . . .drinks beer in the morning. Come to find out, Dave doesn't drink beer in the morning. Dave's marriage is on the verge fo collapse. Don't want to tell me that? That's fine. But don't lie. But I pray for Dave, and when I ask God to help Dave stop drinking, God knows to repair Dave's marriage, which He did do. God's not actually dumb. He actually does know what needs done before we bring it to His attention.

If someone is asking for prayer, it is our job to pray, not decide the validity of that prayer based on the gossip-ability of it.

* I am not accusing anyone of wanting to know what's going on for the sake of gossip. Just that those people most definitely do exist. And our prayers are not "less effective" because we don't use the exact words before God.

[Aaron]

if you feel like you need some prayer about something God is doing in your life but dont feel like God is giving you liberty to tell the world and you want others to pray with you about it then there is nothing wrong with an unspoken prayer request.

just because some one has an unspoken doesn't mean they did something wrong

[Donald]

Prayer circles in some congregations are the sources for gossip. Gossip can be malicious and sinful.

You don't have to worry that the prayer request is for something bad; God answers all prayers, but sometimes the answer is no, eh.