# Praying for God to change the past



## MichaelNZ (Aug 19, 2014)

We know that God is outside of time and sees all of time like we see a line drawn on a page. Since we know this, is there any point praying for God to change something in the past? For example, the girl you've been dating admits that in a moment of weakness during high school, she lost her virginity to a stud on the football team. You've been saving yourself for marriage and are very hurt. Is it wrong to ask God to give her the necessary strength at the time she faced the temptation so that she wouldn't give in and would resist the temptation? I know God _can _change the past, but the question is _would_ He do it? And if He does, how would we actually know? Did we have a different past that God changed because of someone's prayer for us? How then would that relate to His sovereingty? 

Likewise, is there any point in praying for dead relatives that (as far as we know) died without accepting Christ? Can we pray that God can give them the gift of regeneration in the past so that they can actually be saved?

Or are we wandering into an area that is best left unexplored?


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## Peairtach (Aug 19, 2014)

God can't change the past.


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Aug 19, 2014)

God can't go to the past and change things through your prayer, but He knows and can answer you prayer in advance. In other words, if you pray for the safety of your relative who is driving a car and then he dies in an accident, its irrelevant whether you prayed before or after the accident occurred because God knows our prayers before we ask Him and He can answer them beforehand, at the moment of prayer or in the future. However, I'm not suggesting that we should _intentionally_ pray for the dead or for God to change things in the past.


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## py3ak (Aug 19, 2014)

It is wrong to pray against God's will: hence the Lord teaches us to pray, _Thy will be done_. The relation of that to the past, is that once something has happened, we know it was God's will - included in his decree. So praying that it would not happen is essentially praying _against God's will_. We have no promise or precept in Scripture to encourage us in that kind of prayer, but just the opposite. 

A good example of our approach in prayer is David. While his child was alive he prayed and fasted; but when he saw that it was God's will to take the child away (because the child died) he worshipped, got cleaned up, and ate. In other words, he accepted God's will once it was made known, and gave honor to God even though God's will crossed his desire. The proper response to painful providences is to ask that God will give us grace to respond to them spiritually and submissively.


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## Edward (Aug 19, 2014)

MichaelNZ said:


> Or are we wandering into an area that is best left unexplored?



It shouldn't be left unexplored - it should be fully explored and exposed for the error that it is. 


'IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful; and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter: but not for the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death."

As to your first example, the proper prayer might be that she find a man that can love her and is worthy of her love.


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## whirlingmerc (Aug 19, 2014)

I don't think God changes the past as much as 'giving back the years the locust have eaten'
Prayers are more about going forward in that sense. 

The closest thing I have seen to a past event would be a prayer today which was fullfilled by providences started in the past
Stories From the Field | Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver of North America The Hot Water Bottle


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## Mr. Bultitude (Aug 19, 2014)

For a good read on the topic, see C. S. Lewis' _Miracles_, Appendix B: On Special Providences. (You don't really need to have read the book to understand this section.) You can read it (with some pages missing) at Google Books or (with all pages intact) at the library.


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## Edward (Aug 19, 2014)

whirlingmerc said:


> The closest thing I have seen to a past event would be a prayer today which was fullfilled by providences started in the past
> Stories From the*Field | Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver of North America The Hot Water Bottle



Praying for the dead is an integral part of Roman theology. This is not an issue where we should look to the Vatican for guidance.


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## jambo (Aug 19, 2014)

If only God could change the past then we would face far fewer problems today. However we are responsible for past behaviour and misdemeanours and have to face the consequences of such. We may be forgiven for the past but we can't undo it.

Likewise in praying for the dead. RCs do this and say masses for the dead, but once a person passes into eternity then there is nothing that can be done.


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## Alan D. Strange (Aug 19, 2014)

God is outside of time, but we are not. Everything that happens in this world happens in time. And time does not go backwards. Only forwards. 

There is no need to seek to undo anything in time. That was all part of God's perfect plan, as Ruben so well said. There is only the question of how do we go forward in faithfulness, seeking to serve God. 

Even the worst of failures do not defeat Him, because He is such a great, good, and wise God that not only do our failures not defeat Him, but He uses them to bring about the greatest good: hence the cross. Was it right to crucify Christ? No, it was a monstrous evil. Did it defeat God and His good purposes? No, it brought them about because *in His death we witness the death of death*. 

As J.M. Boice said when asked, as he knew he was dying, would he have anything different? He said "no," knowing that whatever he chose would not be as good and wise as what God chose, even though our choices may be attended by much evil on our part. This is why all things work together for good to them that love God, who are called according to His purpose. Though wicked men, including us, may mean it for evil, God means it for good in the lives of His people, here and hereafter. Here is a link to an article that I wrote over a decade ago that deals with related matters: http://www.opc.org/nh.html?article_id=164.

Remember, "though the wrong is oft so strong, God is the ruler yet." 

Peace,
Alan


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