What is Prayer? We hear others ask all the time, "Have you prayed about it?" Why is it important for us to pray to God? Do we have to pray to follow Jesus? Does God really hear us when we pray? Spending time with God in prayer is an exciting and foundational privilege we have as believers, yet so many Christians are still confused about what prayer is and why it is important.
Praying is a personal connection or "hotline" that directly connects us to God . It gives us the opportunity to build a personal relationship with God any time of the day, anywhere we are; helping us understand we are never alone and can trust God in all situations. Praying is an opportunity for us to praise God for the good in our lives, repent and ask for forgiveness for our sin, and seek guidance for struggles in our daily life. “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (Thessalonians 5:17-18) Praying without ceasing will require us to set aside time with God in order to grow in our relationship with Him. God seeks a relationship with us and desires us to seek Him too. Mathew 11:28-29
Why should I pray? One reason is that scripture commands it. “Devote yourself to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” Colossians 4:2. In addition to this, prayer has benefits for us as followers of Jesus, as well as those around us. The more we actively pursue God through prayer, the more we are grounded in our faith and remain rooted in Gods presence. Prayer humbles us and changes our perspective so that we are grateful for the many things God does for us each and every day, leaving us with a peace that surpasses understanding. “Be anxious for nothing but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) Prayer provides us supernatural peace from God. When we don’t pray however, we tend to be ungrateful more often, anxious, fearful, easily influenced, and walking in a fleshy manner in our words and behaviors.
So how do we know that God really hear us when we pray? “And this is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:14) God hears us when we pray according to His will, and those prayers will be powerful and effective in our lives. (James 5:13-16) Sometimes when our prayers are not being answered right away, we can start to wonder if God really hears us. However we can be assured that He does hear our prayers, and will answer in His timing according to His will. Ecclesiastes 3:1 explains that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. God hears our pleas and petitions but the answer and timing may be different than what we think or want. We must trust Him and His timing, and continue to pray.
Through prayer, we can be actively involved in God’s eternal work, helping to expand the Kingdom of God on Earth, and stand in the gap for souls to be saved. When we pray without ceasing, we show God that we choose Him and need Him in our daily lives. It will take a sacrifice of our time and worldly distractions, but will produce a more intimate relationship with God empowering us to live for Him and align with His will for our lives.
References
"What is a Prayer?" GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-prayer.html
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