Ready for some 7 Reasons Why Prayer Is Important?
Prayer is one of those things that everyone within Christian circles knows is important.
Some pray daily while others constantly feel like they need to be praying much more than they should.
In fact, many people find it difficult to pray regularly or consistently.
However, this may be because many aren’t actually aware of why prayer is even important.
It’s hard to get yourself to do something when you feel like it doesn’t have much worth.
Sometimes you can get discouraged and not sure if God is listening. Read about the signs God is answering your prayers, if you’re not feeling confident.
So, why is prayer important and what does the Bible have to say about it?
7 Reasons Why Prayer Is Important
Here are 7 reasons why you should be praying regularly and wholeheartedly.
1. Every Relationship Requires Communication
If I had to ask you what the most important aspect of a relationship is, you would probably say communication.
Relationship experts everywhere champion the concept of communication within relationships, yet we often neglect this fact within the most important relationship that we have.
Within your relationship with God, communication is just as important. You cannot expect to be close to God without speaking to Him.
James 4:8a says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
We are only as close to God as we want to be. Certainly, prayer is a surefire way to draw near to God.
As you build your relationship with Him, you have to communicate with Him honestly and openly and prayer is the best way for you to do that.
2. Prayer Changes Your Heart
Although many have the perception that prayer is meant to change God’s mind, it’s actually meant to change your heart.
As you spend time with God in prayer, your will and mind become aligned with His will and mind and He begins to change your desires and wants through your time with Him.
And God’s timing is perfect!
Although Jeremiah 17:9 famously says, “that the heart is deceitful above all things and asks the important question as to who can understand it”, the very next verse gives us a clear answer.
Jeremiah 17:10 says, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
God alone can understand and change the heart and through your time with Him in prayer, He does just that.
3. You Can Make Your Requests Known to God Through Prayer
Even though this way of looking at prayer is probably the most obvious, it still rings true.
We have the amazing opportunity to stand before God and make our requests known to Him at any time through prayer. (Read to see when is the best time to pray.)
Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Through prayer, we can ask God for the things that we need, and He hears us.
Amazingly enough, it seems that Paul here uses this as a prescription for anxiety.
So, if you struggle with being anxious (which we all do), let your requests be made known to God and leave them at His feet through prayer.
Check out these Prayers for anxiety or Psalms for anxiety.
4. Prayer Brings Divine Peace
The very next verse in Philippians brings us an amazing truth about prayer that is often left untapped.
Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
When we pray and lift up our anxieties, requests, and needs to God, His Word says that He will guard our hearts and minds with a peace that we cannot even understand.
I don’t know about you, but I could use some more peace in my life. Yet here in God’s Word, we find out exactly how to get it. The answer is prayer.
When you pray and lift up your thoughts and feelings to God in a genuine way, all the anxiety is lifted because you remind yourself that God is sovereign and that He will take care of you.
Prayer brings a divine peace that nothing else can bring.
5. Prayer Allows You to Call On God’s Promises
Did you know that God’s Word says that we should pray for certain things and that when we do, He will grant them to us?
In these cases, prayer offers a unique way to call on God’s promises and to experience His blessing daily.
One example of this is in the book of James.
James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
Let’s be honest; who doesn’t need some more wisdom in their life? Yet here in His Word, we learn that we can ask God for wisdom through prayer, and He will give it to us.
What are you waiting for? You can call on God’s promises today through prayer.
6. Prayer Provides a Unique Opportunity to Submit Your Will to God
One of the most foundational aspects of being a true follower of Christ is learning to submit your will to God’s will on a daily basis.
Prayer is actually one of the ways that we can do this regularly.
Following Jesus’ example in the garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested, tried, and crucified, we too can pray the amazing prayer that Jesus did in Luke 22:42 saying, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
By praying this prayer, we can ask God to align our will and desires with His own, making us more effective and fulfilled workers in God’s kingdom.
7. Prayer Keeps Your Focus in the Right Place
Finally, and possibly most importantly, consistent and genuine prayer keeps your focus in the right place: on Jesus Christ alone.
With all the hustle and bustle of the daily world, we can easily get distracted from what’s truly important.
However, when you take the time to stop and pray to God, it’s a lot easier to keep your focus where it needs to be. Truly, prayer is a powerful thing.
These are only seven reasons why prayer is important, and it’s a big deal! Prayer is such an essential part of our lives because, well, every relationship needs communication, and that’s precisely what prayer is. It’s a way to communicate with God and seek His guidance and wisdom in our lives.
And let’s not forget how prayer can change our hearts!
When we pray, we’re inviting God to transform us and bring us the divine peace we need to overcome any challenge that comes our way. It’s like hitting the reset button on our hearts and minds.
But it’s not just about us; prayer allows us to call on God’s promises and submit our will to Him.
How cool is that?
We have access to the power of the Almighty, and all we have to do is pray!
And when we keep our focus on God through prayer, we’re reminded of what’s truly important in life, and we can trust that everything will work out for our good.
So let me encourage you to make prayer a regular part of your life. It doesn’t have to be formal or fancy; just talk to God like you would a friend.
Share your heart, your hopes, your dreams, and your fears with Him. He’s always listening and ready to help.
Trust me, when you make prayer a priority, you’ll see amazing things happen in your life!