Have you ever asked or silently wondered what the point of prayer is?
Don’t get upset with me just yet. Let me explain.
We know God’s Word says that He knows what our needs are before we ask (Matthew 6:8)
We know that God already knows the future and He has a plan and perfect will. So it is easy to think, “If God already knows, why do I have to pray and ask for anything?” Or “If God has a plan and perfect will, I can’t change His mind, so why ask for anything?”
It is easy to have these thoughts and to be discouraged. The enemy does not want you to pray, read your Bible, or do anything that would bring you closer to God.
What about unanswered prayer? You keep praying for something with seemingly no answer, or God just flat says “No.”
So, why do we pray?
Because we are commanded to do so. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Matthew 6:5 and 9, Mark 11:24, 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Jesus gave us the example of prayer. Mark 6:46,
Prayer changes us. It brings us into the presence of God. It’s a humbling act to come into the presence of the Almighty Creator God and ask for His help, wisdom, and direction. We all need some humbling. We all need more practice at depending on and trusting God. Prayer does this.
If there’s something you have prayed and asked God for, trusting Him to do it, and then that gets answered, how do you respond? It should be with gratitude and praise. This causes us to acknowledge God’s actions in our lives rather than us living pridefully and taking the credit ourselves. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5
Prayer requires faith. Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Faith pleases God.
James 4:2 is also still true. “Ye lust, and have not, ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” This is saying that we do everything in our power and we are still seeking, searching for more. Always unsatisfied. If we would just pray and seek God instead, we would be satisfied. Things we lack are often things we aren’t praying for.
Are you struggling with children that never obey you? A husband that is hard to live with? A marriage that is less than lovely? Strained relationships between you and others?
Are you praying for those people and situations? For wisdom to know how to handle those things? For peace and clarity?
If you aren’t praying, why do you expect anything to change?
God will not force you to obey His word, to ask for His leading, or miraculously work everything out so you have an easy life. He’s all powerful, but He is not forceful. We still have free will.
When we humble ourselves and pray, we see God work, we give all the praise and glory back to Him, and He is pleased. He is then in the rightful place in our lives.
Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” That means first place. That is what Christ wants. To be first in your life so that you are walking in step with Him and His will. That is where our wisdom comes from, where our protection from temptation and sin is found, and where grace and blessings abound.
Stay in the Word, stay close to the Shepherd, and let Him lead you in paths of righteousness.
With Hope in His Service,
Heather
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