Why Do we pray?

By Darlene Quiring

As Christians, we have the responsibility and privilege to pray. To have open communication with the One and Only true God.  WOW!  Have you ever really thought about what that means.  How praying should be considered an honor and a blessing, that we, mere mortals have access to the King of Kings!  And yet, how many times do we take this opportunity for granted, how often do we ‘forget’ that we have the ability to call on the name Jesus.

God desires a personal relationship with each of us.  A relationship that involves 2 way communications.  Just like talking or hanging out with a friend.  This type of relationship cannot grow if it is not nurtured.  If we are not praying, we are missing out on so many blessings that God wants us to have.  But we have to choose.  We have to decide that prayer is important, and the only we can prove that desire, is by praying.  God knows our hearts, he knows what we are going to say or pray before we say it.

So, whats the point?  God already knows, why bother putting a voice to it (even if only in our head).  Why should we purposely pray?

It’s all about our choice.  If we want that personal relationship with God, then we are willing to purposely pray.  When I say purposely, I don’t mean only those times when we need something.  I mean choosing to pray when life is good, when making a decision, when someone asks us to. . .  Praying throughout the day.  When we choose to have this ongoing conversation with God, it becomes second nature.  We no longer have to think about it, we just do it.

I struggle with letting God speak, do you?

Praying isn’t something I’ve had many problems with, at least in the terms of an ongoing conversation.  But doesn’t a conversation involve 2 voices?  It is so easy to let my ‘conversations’ become one-sided.

Now, some of you reading this are starting to question my sanity. Why would God even bother with me?

Because of Jesus. Because God cares about each and every one of us, even when we forget to pray, even when we reject Him. God still loves us, so much that He sent is one and only Son to die so that we could be forgiven, so that we could be worthy of Heaven.  Because its not about us, its never been about us. Its about God and how He can use us to bring His Glory to earth just as it is in Heaven.  How He can bless us beyond our wildest dreams.

We all need a reminder of how Great our God is and how much each individual matters to Him.

Okay, so we were talking about how I struggle with having a real conversation with God.  It’s so easy to just talk and talk and talk and talk and. . . you get the idea.  When are we ever going to learn to stop talking, and start to listen?  To let our minds stop spinning with the worries and thoughts of the world. God DOES speak. It may be different than the way he spoke to Adam in Eden, or the way He led Moses and His people out of Egypt, or the way He spoke to His disciples while Jesus was on Earth. But He still talks to us, we just aren’t listening. . .

Seth Barnes, founder of Adventures in Missions, wrote a book called The Art of Listening Prayer: Finding God’s Voice Amidst Life’s Noise (affiliate). In this book, Seth shares his view on what Listening Prayer is and strategies that we can use to incorporate a more meaningful prayer life that is more dialogue than monologue.  I highly encourage you to check out his book so that YOU can begin to recognize God’s voice.

With all of that said, there are still going to be times when God does not speak.  Of course, just because we don’t hear God doesn’t mean He isn’t talking.  We need to examine our own lives, our own heart.  Are we living our life in a way that glorifies Him?  Are we trying to block Him out, because of fear of His response?  Or maybe we need to seek Him in His words in the Bible.  There are countless reasons why God may seem or is being silent, but God is always with us. He promises never to forsake us.

Darlene Quiring is a lover of Jesus Christ from Mt. Lake, Minn.