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[Newbie]

When some good happens, christians claim god answered their prayers. But with all the death and suffering on earth, it's obvious that god does not answer them all. So how does he decide?

[jimwalton]

We're never given the criteria by which he decides. But you should probably understand that prayer isn't largely about asking for stuff and having God give it or not give it. That makes God into either Santa Claus or the evil, withholding Santa (mwuha-ha-ha-ha-ha!). Prayer is primarily a way for us to relate to God, to talk to him, share our lives, happy things, concerns, daily activities, meditate on the Bible, and to take time to be quiet and think about what God has shared with us in the Bible. Asking for things is only actually a small part of what prayer is about. God intends prayer to be successful and rewarding, but if all you do is ask for stuff, you're going to be one confused and frustrated puppy, because you don't grasp what prayer is mostly all about.

[Wooster]

Matthew 7:7:

7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

John 14:12-14:

14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Well, the bible seems to disagree with you so who should I trust, you or the bible?

[jimwalton]

I would expect that the things I say are in agreement with what the Bible teaches. The Bible for sure encourages us to ask for stuff, but that's not what prayer is primarily for. There are also lots of texts where people pray prayers of worship, of repentance, where they pray in meditation, where they express gratitude, fear, and doubt. You'll even notice that the Lord's Prayer (Mt. 6.9-13) only has a few requests: Please give us food. Then there are things like "forgive me for the bad stuff I've done," and "help me be strong against the temptation to do things that are wrong." These are mostly requests about our inner lives, as are requests like Philippians 1.9-11: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." That's a very different kind of request than "Help me do well or my test," or "help Aunt Mabel get better." Not that we're not allowed to ask that stuff, but we need to learn about prayer from what the Bible says about it.