Why is prayer so important in our Christian walk? Prayer is communication with God, our heavenly Father. He wants us to be in constant communication with Him (Jeremiah 29:12; Romans 12:12), whether we are in trouble or happy (James 5:13). It is a private dialog with our Creator, an intimate and personal conversation – what an amazing gift that He gives us! So don’t miss this possibility and pray daily!
Where should we pray daily? The beauty of our relationship with God is that we can pray at any time. Jesus made that possible and set the example by praying with His father (i.e., Matthew 14:23; Luke 3:21). We can pray alone during our quiet time, with groups like a Bible Study, or corporately in church services or mass. We can pray silently, out loud, through song, and through writing or other forms of artistic expression. Prayers don’t have to be eloquent or lengthy – sometimes a simple, ‘Please help!’ resonates, along with a heartfelt ‘Thank-you!’. You can ask to provide, to forgive, to heal or to protect. I believe that what matters most is that our hearts our engaged and our minds are focused.
Reasons that we should Pray Daily
1. Pray and God will Provide
1 John 5:14 says: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he will hear us.” Believers can come to the Lord with heads held high and ask to provide what we need, like a beloved child asking a parent for a gift. We know that He will answer our prayers (Mark 11:24). However, this doesn’t mean we come to God like spoiled children! Thinking of prayer as a spiritual “vending machine” where we ask, take, and walk away is misguided and immature. An important part of being engaged with God through prayer is gratitude. We also pray daily to express our gratitude for things He has done to us. Praising God and giving thanks to Him reminds us of how great He is and how much He has done for us (Psalm 100:4) – not because of anything we have done, but because God loves us. In giving thanks, we worship His works and glory.
2. Pray and God will Forgive
Jesus died for our sins and extends undeserved grace to us. In the Old Testament, the Israelites had to make sacrifices in order to be forgiven. When Christ died, He made it possible for us to enter His throne room directly. That is not something to be taken lightly! We all sin and are in need of forgiveness. We must come to Him with humble hearts and confess our sins (actions that hurt God) and He promises to forgive (2 Chronicles 7:14). God’s gift of forgiveness is another reason that we can pray daily and give thanks to Him!
3. Pray and God will Heal
God promises to heal us if we pray (Psalm 103:2-5, Hosea 6:1). Jesus declared that He came to recover “sight for the blind” (Luke 4:18). Many of His miracles during His earthly ministry were healing. We can pray daily to Him for healing.
When we are a young Christians we think if we pray our health should be restored immediately. When that didn’t happen we become angry and think, ‘Why hasn’t God done what He promised?’
We need to change the way that we pray. Say, “God, I ask for You to heal me. I know You can do it immediately, but if You have something for me to learn through this illness than please show me. Please work through my doctors, medications, or therapy. Above all, Your will be done.” This can dramatically change the way we view God as our Father.
4. Pray and God will Protect
We have a mortal enemy, the Devil. We are warned in 1 Peter 5:8 to “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Does that mean were are supposed to cower in fear? No. It means that we must be vigilant. John 17:15 says: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” Constant communication with God sets us in the safest place possible – the center of His will. When our hearts and minds are attuned to God we know when something isn’t right about a person, place, or situation. Jesus is our strength and our protection!
5. Pray and God will Give Peace
During times when we are afraid or anxious, we can communicate with God through prayer and He will give us peace. We must be in constant communication with God, pray daily, so that relationship can be a source of strength and peace for us: “Look to the LORD and his strength” (1 Chronicles 16:11a). Life is difficult – but we don’t have to be anxious! Instead, we can turn to God in every situation and He will give us peace (Philippians 4:6-7).
6. Pray and God will give Guidance and Wisdom
We pray to share different aspects of our lives, including our problems, with God. In the midst of life’s changing circumstances, we can rely on God for guidance and wisdom. The book of Psalms is full prayers asking for guidance and wisdom (Psalm 25:4-5 and 32:8-9). God will always give wisdom to people who ask (James 1:5)! When we ask for help, pray daily, God gives answers in all kinds of situations.
7. Pray and God will Renew Your Mind
The Holy Spirit is constantly working in our hearts and lives. Continual prayer gives God the opportunity for us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). We walk through the world and we face temptation, confusion, frustrations, and fatigue. It is easy to slip back into old ways of thinking or behaving. The work that occurs is not because of something that we do on our own; it is something that happens because God is gracious! So pray daily and God will renew your mind!
Also read: HOW TO PRAY TO GOD
