Is Prayer Necessary?

Is Prayer Necessary?

is prayer necessary
Why do you pray? Is prayer necessary? What do you think? God knows everything already anyway. Why should we take time to pray then? What’s the point of prayer after all? Good questions. Let’s find out whether prayer is necessary at all.

Sometimes when we don’t understand something, it helps to change perspectives. So let’s do it now. Let’s take God’s perspective on prayer. Why do you think God wants us to pray?

God does not need our list of demands or concerns, that’s true. So why would he want us to pray? He must know we need prayer for some other reasons. What could they be?

Maybe God knows prayer itself is what we need first and foremost. Our most urgent need is to abide in him, bask in his presence, and spend time with him. Maybe prayer is an answer to our greatest need which is God himself?

Maybe it is through praying without ceasing we could experience what Paul prays for Ephesians:
May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). (Eph. 3:16-21, AMP,*)

So be it indeed! Prayer is a huge blessing to us. We don’t do it for God or to get things to go our way but to get our fresh supply to fill our greatest need: God.

God is love and he wants to give us all that he is and all that he has. And he is ready to take all of our burdens and all of our sins on him.

And even that is not all. Prayer offers us soul rest. Something we desperately need in today’s hectic world. Prayer is an oasis in the midst of our day. Prayer cleanses us from junk. Prayer feeds us and restores us. Prayer makes us who we are meant to be. Prayer is beyond necessary in my opinion. (But if you’re still not convinced, read my top 10 reasons why I can’t live without prayer.)

It is also helpful to practice different ways of prayer: short prayers (Help me, Lord! Have mercy, Lord! Thank you, Lord!), mealtime prayers, corporate prayers, meditative prayers, Scripture prayers etc. Maybe you want to try praying the hours. I like to write down my prayers. Prayer journaling slows the prayer down hence I linger longer in God’s presence that way. Whatever you do, keep praying. Give God the possibility to abide in you and give you what you first and foremost need: himself.

But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit; Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)—[which will bring you] unto life eternal. (Jude 1:20-21, AMP,*)

Gracious God,
You are so good to us.
You are so patient to wait for us to come to you.
All you want is to shower us with your love and grace.
Yet we hesitate, forgive us.
Draw us into your presence.
Make us complete with all the fullness of life and power
that comes from only you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Why do you pray? Is prayer necessary?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you pray without ceasing!

* [As you might have noticed, I enjoy reading the Bible in different translations and love comparing them. I have started linking the Bible verses to Biblegateway.com so you can easily read (and compare) them in the different versions I’ve used while preparing each post.]

Image courtesy of Krist Adams, design by Mari-Anna Stålnacke. Linking up today with Faith-filled Fridays, Five Minute Friday and Faith Jam.

6 thoughts on “Is Prayer Necessary?

  1. Oh yes I pray! I pray all the time. It is the one thing I do with full confidence in this life. Those words to God in moments of chaos bring so much peace into my heart and soul.

  2. Is breathing necessary? Ten reasons why I breathe… It’s kinda like that. I’m glad you gave examples of how varied prayer can be, in length, in content, in intent—and, as you say in your comment below, “no words necessary” prayers.

    So glad to find you again, Mari-Anna! I’ve actually thought of you lately and was about to do a search to see if you were still around online, as our paths hadn’t crossed on the web for a long time, and here you are, amid a different search…!

    I needed a word this afternoon, though I didn’t know what exactly, just knew I’d recognize it when I found it. I’ve visited quite a few blogs… still not it. Then this. Perfect joy. Thanks for this refreshing, restoring post. And now, off with the computer. Time for some quiet drawing aside, in prayer. After I subscribe to your email notifications.

    God bless!
    Sylvia R @ sylvrpen.com

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