“Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer or as a petition of a prayer, which is so made that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.” (Resolution 29)
The matter of true prayer is something that has been largely forgotten in the modern day. The reasons for that are quite simple. Man has turned from a God-centered way of living and praying to focus on himself. Rather than prayer being that which conforms man to God and His will, prayer is now thought of to be a way to get God to conform to man and man’s will. This is simply hideously backward and even blasphemous. If man is to love God with all of his being, then prayer must be an expression of love for God and His glory. After all, in reality prayer is a lifting up the desires of the heart to God and also a communing with God. Jesus instructed us how to pray by giving an outline of prayer. The first petition in the so-called “Lord’s Prayer” is for God’s name to be treated with reverence and awe, and even glorified.
In the above resolution Edwards resolved not to even count as a prayer or as a petition of a prayer which was made where he would have no hope that God would answer it. One might object that of course no one would pray if they thought God would not answer it. But I think that objection misses the real point of the resolution, though it might serve to illuminate the real issue. True prayer must be offered up in faith. Faith must have a true object or it is not real faith. In Scripture prayer is to be offered for the glory of God and in the name of Jesus which really amount to the same thing. I think, then, that what Edwards is saying is that he was done with self-centered prayer and was going to focus on prayer based on faith and that would truly be for the glory of God.
We must also notice that Edwards distinguishes between prayer and petition of prayer. Prayer includes more than just asking for things, it is mainly a way man is to have communion with God. Prayer also includes praise and confession. Man is not to praise God in order to make God feel better about Himself, nor is God a needy Being that longs for man to praise Him. But when man praises God in truth and from the heart man is enabled to share in the love God has within the Trinity. In this way God is communicating His glory and love to man. In this way man is enabled to discover the mind of God in that God is communicating Himself to man in prayer.
Edwards also resolves not to offer up a confession which he cannot hope that God will hear. This is another fascinating point to think about. Why would God not hear a confession of sin? When David confessed his sin he confessed his sin in such a way that he confessed that God was just in whatever He would do to him (Psa 51:4). We can also note from Psalms 25:11 and 79:9 other proper aspects of confession from a God-centered perspective.
For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great” (Psalm 25:11). “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake” (Psalm 79:9).
It should always be noted that sin has far more negative value than man has value. While that is a rather awkward way of putting it, the point should be clear. Sin is so enormously evil that man has no way of making up for that sin and has nothing in himself that would make him worthy to be forgiven. When man sees how great his sin really is, he can only ask for it to be forgiven in accordance with truth for the sake of God’s great name. The only basis man has to confess sin is for the glory of God.
All sin is against God and can only be forgiven for the sake of His name. Confession for sin must always realize that sin is against God and as such it is a far greater wrong than we can imagine. It is not just some little wrong done to a finite human being, it is against God. So for a confession to be according to truth, it must see and confess its wrong as against God. Once that is understood, it should be clear that the only basis to ask for forgiveness is for the glory of His name in Christ. Could it be that the vast amount of prayer, confession, and asking for forgiveness are so man-centered that they have utterly no hope of being answered? Could it be that man-centered prayers are so obnoxious to God that even the best prayers from a man-centered perspective are as vile and filthy rags? Could it be that man is so focused on himself that his self-centered prayers show his enmity to the glory of God more than anything else? Could it be that in our prayers for our self-centered things that we are actually committing idolatry in what we think is our holiest of duties rather than loving God in them? How we need Christ to be our Redeemer and a propitiation for our best works, even our religious duties.
God Loves... Himself 
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