Why Are We Suppose To Pray?

God commands people, multiple times in His Word to pray. But why do we need to pray?

If God is in control and directs our lives, then what’s the point of praying? The answer lies in understanding what prayer is.

If you see prayer as merely a means of taking some level of control of your life and the world as a means of leverage then you will be inevitably troubled by unanswered prayers.

For years I prayed and thought God wasn’t hearing me, I felt as if He was ignoring me. If He wanted me to have the desires of my heart, (Psalm 37:4) what was wrong with me that He wouldn’t answer my prayers? It some point I stopped praying because I felt He didn’t care.

After I was saved I learned to see that prayer primarily as an ongoing conversation with God, and realized there was no such sing as an unanswered prayer.

If prayer us a conversation between you and God, His promise to always listen was the answer that my heart needed.

God might not choose to do what we ask Him to do it. And there might be seasons when we find it hard to hear what He’s saying all a lot of reasons. It’s hard when someone says no, or even no yet, to what seems like a good valid request.

Understanding that if we take delight in God, over and above anything else in our lives, then He will shape our hearts so we will want the things He already wants to give us. His desires will become our desires.

If God is in control and already directs our lives, then what’s the use of praying? Psalm 115:3 even tells us, ‘But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever He pleases. To understand why we need to pray if God already knows what will happen we need to think about “the sovereignty of God.” God is powerful and authoritative to the extent of being able to override all other powers and authorities.

It is true God already knows everything that will happen for the rest of eternity. He knows the big events and the small moments of each of our lives and nothing is beyond His control. So it’s senseless to think of prayer as a way to change God’s mind or His direction in a situation.

Prayer is a process by which we learn to trust God. He listens to us patiently. He takes our requests seriously. Then He considers everything in the context of the bigger picture only He can see,

It’s in prayer that we use to come into agreement with God’s will. For example, I may pray that I wish to go somewhere but God knows if there are dangers that involve me going there. And He is trying to protect me.

Psalm 139:1-4 says

“Lord, you have searched mem and you know me. You know my sitting down and rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but, behold. Lord, you know it altogether.”

if God knows what you are thinking, then why is He so concerned about you talking to Him? Because prayer is one of the main ways you connect with Him. When you pray God will give you peace by explaining or resolving every situation you bring to Him. When we pray it eases our fears.

Through prayer, we develop a trusting relationship with God. Over time, we learn how to recognize His voice when He speaks. The Bible clearly shows Him choosing to act in response to the prayers of His people,