Three answers to prayer

You might think that there are only two answers to prayers (along with of course the lack of an answer that most of us experience if we are being honest).

The two obvious options are Yes and No.  You would hope that a prayer would be answered in such a definitive way.

However, faced with the need to rationalise the observation that prayers are not answered, religious people have invented a get-out clause.  The third answer is

"I have a better idea"

Well of course the one way to get better ideas for ourselves is to think about things - and surely that is all that prayer is.  Asking someone else for their opinions (even if they don't actually exist) is another way to have better ideas.  Haven't you ever had the experience of going to discuss a problem with a friend or colleague and then realising a new answer as you open your mouth to speak?

I've often experienced that and explain it without recourse to a magical friend in the sky.

Nothing fails like prayer!