If God is Unchanging, what is the point of Prayer?

Can prayer change God’s mind? The Answer is No. But, read on.

St. Thomas Aquinas addresses this question in the Summa Theologica (II-II, Q83, Articles 2 and 15), where he examines the efficacy of prayer and its relationship to God’s immutability. Aquinas’s answer balances God’s unchanging nature with the real power of prayer to obtain graces.

Prayer does not change God’s mind, because God is immutable (unchanging). However, prayer is an essential means by which humans align themselves with God’s eternal will and become instruments of His providence. Through prayer, God grants the goods He has eternally willed to give.

1. God’s Immutability

   •    God’s Nature is Unchanging: Aquinas emphasizes that God’s will is eternal and unchangeable: “In God, there is no change or shadow of alteration” (James 1:17). Since God is perfect, He does not move from one state to another, and His plans are not subject to revision (ST, I, Q9, A1).

   •    God’s Eternal Plan: God’s providence encompasses all events in history, including our prayers. What God wills eternally, He wills unchangingly.

2. The Purpose of Prayer

   •    Prayer Aligns Us with God’s Will: Prayer does not compel God to act but disposes us to receive what God has willed from all eternity. Aquinas writes: “We do not pray in order to change the divine disposition, but that we may obtain what God has appointed to be fulfilled by our prayers” (ST, II-II, Q83, A2).

   •    Prayer as Secondary Cause: In God’s providential plan, human actions, including prayer, are real secondary causes that participate in the fulfillment of His eternal will. For example:

      • If God wills to grant someone healing, He may will to grant it in response to their prayer, making prayer part of the causal chain.

3. The Efficacy of Prayer

   •    God Wills Prayer as a Means: Aquinas explains that God wills certain effects to come about through the prayers of His creatures. This encourages prayer as a meaningful and necessary act of cooperation with grace.

   •    Prayer’s Merit: Through prayer, we express faith, hope, and charity, making us more open to God’s grace. As Aquinas states, “Prayer is the interpreter of desire” (ST, II-II, Q83, A1).

4. Scriptural Basis

Aquinas cites Scripture to show that prayer is not about changing God’s mind but about fulfilling His will:

   •    “For the Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 144:18, Douay-Rheims): Prayer aligns us with God’s truth.

   •    “Your Father knows what is needful for you, before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8): God’s knowledge and will precede prayer, but He invites us to pray.

How Prayer “Works” Without Changing God’s Mind:

      1.       God’s Eternal Knowledge: God foresees all prayers and incorporates them into His eternal plan.

      2.       Prayer’s Role in Providence: God wills some outcomes to occur in response to prayer, making prayer a necessary instrument of His will.

      3.       Transformation of the Person Praying: Prayer changes the one who prays, increasing their faith, humility, and readiness to receive God’s grace.

So, no, prayer does not change God’s mind because His will is eternal and unchanging. However, God ordains prayer as a means by which humans participate in His providence and receive what He has eternally willed to give. Prayer is not about altering God’s plan but about aligning ourselves with His will and becoming instruments of His divine action.