Do you ever wonder why prayer is important? Is prayer necessary? Are there benefits of daily prayer – besides fulfilling obligations and expectations on our faith to-do list?
For most of my life, prayer was relegated to Sunday mornings, a quick bedtime prayer (maybe), and in those times of most desperate need. I thought I was doing enough to check the box on my list of things “good Christians” do, only that’s all prayer was to me – a to-do list item, not an essential priority in my day. I didn’t understand the importance of prayer.
Why Prayer Is Important
Do you want to experience the power of prayer? Want to know firsthand the benefits of prayer and spending time with God? Want to know if prayer really works?
Prayer is more than something to check off a to-do list. It’s more than an obligation or expectation. Prayer is one of the greatest gifts and privileges we have as Christians. It’s God’s gift of his time to be available for conversation at any time of day or night. His gift to listen to your heart, and to answer in ways beyond your comprehension.
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7 Benefits of Prayer
Prayer isn’t meant to be an afterthought, a last resort when nothing else has worked. It’s meant to be your guiding star, the most crucial conversation of your day.
Prayer is your conversation with God and how you can develop a personal, meaningful relationship with the God of the universe who loves you. It’s how he can do miracles in your heart. Through prayer, he can bring your life into alignment with his vision and plans.
It’s your great privilege to enter into prayer with God, yet through prayer he will bless you immensely. Let’s look together at seven reasons prayer is necessary and vital for your life.
1) Prayer can set (or change) the tone of your day
What sets the tone of your day? The frustration of a long commute to work? The pile of dishes in the sink and the never-ending loads of laundry? The mailbox full of bills and bad news?
You wake up full of hope for a new day, then it inevitably hits a snag and you’re sent swirling into frustration, anxiety, or worse.
Starting your day in prayer will help to get your mind in the right place for more joy-filled day.
- Start your day with praise for all God is and all he’s doing in your life.
- Set your mind on God and all his goodness.
- Fill your morning with thankfulness over all the blessings in your life.
- Invite God into the day ahead and ask his help in the areas you know will be difficult.
Turn your daily frustrations into prayer prompts and call upon God to help you reset and restore peace to your heart. Ask him to help you find the joy, even in the struggle and the mundane.
Prayer is the antidote to daily frustrations.
2) Prayer helps you make better decisions
How often do you find yourself making poor decisions and wishing you’d acted differently?
What difference would it make in your day if you instead…
- Decided to react with calm and reasoning instead of yelling?
- Decided to take the time to really listen to a friend instead of rushing off to your next appointment?
- Decided to make a healthier choice instead of falling into old habits?
Even the small decisions in your life make a big difference, so how are you approaching them?
Praying about each decision will help you make better choices.
Ask God for help and guidance. Consider each decision in light of Jesus’ teaching.
Include God in big and small decisions and you’ll find that he’ll lead you make wiser choices.
3) Daily prayer keeps God in the forefront of your mind, not forgotten until Sunday
What role does God really have in your life Monday through Saturday? Or he just for Sunday mornings?
God wants to be in your life every day, all day, not just on Sunday. He wants all 168 hours of your week, not just the 1 you spend in church.
What happens when you make prayer part of your every day, not just your Sunday?
- The more you pray, the more you’ll notice God at work all around you all week.
- When you lean on God in times of trouble, you’ll be filled with his peace and comfort.
- As you ask God’s guidance when faced with decisions, you’ll learn to hear his response.
Daily prayer helps you tap into the full potential of your faith for a life filled with God’s peace, grace, and joy all week long.
4) More frequent communication builds a stronger relationship
How often do you talk to your best friend? To your spouse? To your children? Probably more than once a week, right?
Developing a strong relationship requires frequent communication. The more we talk to each other and have quality conversations, the better our relationship will be.
The same is true with God. If you desire a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God, you need to talk to him more than once a week. You need to have frequent, quality conversations with him.
- Go beyond merely reciting corporate prayers (although these are great places to start).
- Open your heart and invite him into your life.
- Share your struggles and challenges.
- Celebrate the blessings and victories with him.
- Ask his help and guidance.
- Ask forgiveness for the areas you fall short.
The more you pray and share your heart with God, the stronger and more personal your relationship will be.
5) The discipline of daily prayer is submitting your heart to God
Giving your life to Jesus is not a one-time event, but a daily discipline of submission. It’s the daily release of your control to instead live under God’s rule and guidance.
Praying daily is part of that discipline. Not a rule or qualification, but an act of love for the One who loves you dearly and wants to lead your life.
Daily prayer is a way you express your devotion and commitment to God, giving him a priority in your day, precious time from your schedule.
Prayer is an act of love for the One who loves you most, submitting your heart to God’s rule.
6) Answered prayers are prayers prayed
If you aren’t praying and asking for God’s blessings and help, how do you expect him to answer your prayers?
He’s ready and waiting to bless you with good gifts in his time and his way, but he wants you to first engage him in prayer. He wants your heart and that’s something you can only truly give him through the daily practice of prayer.
Make God a priority in your schedule, opening your heart, and submitting to his lead.
If you want your prayers to be answered, pray daily and pray sincerely.
7) Opening your heart to God daily allows God to transform your heart
Prayer isn’t a transaction. It’s a relationship with God.
God’s focus isn’t results but hearts. He wants to win over your heart and move it closer to his.
He may do that through answering earthly needs, or he may do that by working in your heart to shift your focus to him. When you spend regular, frequent time in prayer, you allow God to do his work in your heart. Through prayer, he will transform your life and bring you to new joy in him.
Prayer is where transformation happens, where your heart is healed and renewed.
Will you make daily prayer a priority?
Learn for yourself why prayer is important. Experience the power of prayer when you commit to regularly spending time with God in prayer.
Prayer – especially regular, daily, personal prayer – can transform your day and your heart.
So, will you take the next step to make prayer a priority in your life?
I know your day is busy (so is mine!), but I promise you can find time for what you hold as a priority.
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Dawn says
Great article! I’ve had a bad habit of not incorporating prayer into my daily routines. The Echo app is awesome because I’m reminded and I can keep track of my prayers. Thank you for this article 🙂
Josette Sammut says
In my most difficult times I am enduring because of my husband cancer I find refuge in God almighty through Prayers Faith and crying Prayers are keeping us going on Kindly do say a prayer for my husband Frans for healing of cancer I love praying knowing that God is hearing my prayers
God bless you all
Josette Sammut Malta