Why Christians should pray

If you had a close friend to whom you rarely spoke, would your relationship last very long? Of course not. Friendship depends on communication. Friends spend time together, discuss important issues, learn about each other, listen to each other, and are anxious to make each other happy.

God should be our Best Friend. He created us, He has a plan for our lives and He is anxious to help us fulfill that plan and spend eternity with Him in Heaven. In order to achieve that goal, we must maintain a close relationship with Him. How can we do that? As with human friends, we foster that relationship through communication.

Prayer is a term used to express respectful communication with the Almighty.

There are many more reasons for praying besides hoping to get to Heaven and asking God for favors. Here are a few. Upon reflection, each of us could come up with more which perhaps would be applicable to our own particular circumstances.


* Christians pray to offer adoration to God. Prayer helps us realize our true position in relation to the Divine. God is the Creator, we are the creatures. We are dependent on Him for our very life. We owe God praise, adoration, and glory. Prayer helps us put our relationship to God in the proper perspective. It keeps us humble.

* Christians pray to follow the Biblical mandate: "Pray always". 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  The Bible relates that Jesus prayed on many occasions and in many places: in the desert, in the temple, in the synagogue, at meals, and with his friends. He knew the importance of staying in close communication with the Father. "Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God." Luke 6:12

If prayer was so vital in the life of Jesus, how much more so should it be for us?

* Christians pray because prayer is effective. It changes things. Jesus promised: "If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it." John 14:14

Christians believe that the Bible is word of God. Since God is all-perfect, He cannot lie. There is an adage that advises us to be careful what we pray for, because we may get it!

There may be occasions when we honestly don't know what to pray for. We just cannot see what the best resolution for a particular problem might be. Those are the times when we trust in the wisdom of a God who loves us, and all of His children, more than we can possibly understand. During those periods, it is sufficient to ask with trust and confidence that His will be done.

No prayer is ever wasted. If God, in His infinite wisdom, knows that what we pray for would be detrimental to us or to someone else, He will always give us something of equal benefit or better.

If is necessary to remember that God's time is not our time. " But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day." 2 Peter: 3:8

There are three possible answers to prayer: yes, no, and wait a while. Our prayer must be persistent, and it is perfectly permissible to remind our Best Friend how slowly things seem to be progressing from our limited human perspective.

* Christians pray to offer thanks to God for His many blessings. " Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!" Psalm 95:2

If you had a human friend who kept showering you with gifts, and you never thought to say a simple "Thank you", would that friend be anxious to continue being as generous? It is unlikely. God also appreciates our gratitude.

Even in the midst of problems, there are many blessings for which we should thank the Almighty: the gift of life, food, shelter, family and friends, warm memories, are only a few that come readily to mind. Each reader will have their own particular items to add to list of things for which we should be grateful.

* Christians pray for strength, direction, and help in overcoming temptation. Even the Apostles were subject to temptation. Jesus advised them on Holy Thursday evening, " Stay awake and pray that you may not come into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matt. 26:41

It seems that the closer a Christian comes to God, the greater a prize he would be for the devil, who besets him with temptations at every opportunity.

Temptations not only originate with Satan, but they come from the world. We live in a post-Christian era. It is difficult to maintain and uphold traditional values when most of those in contemporary society are proclaiming and exemplifying an unrestrained lifestyle.

"If it feels good, do it!" has become the mantra of the modern world.

Finally, temptations come from within our very selves. Because of original sin, we are born with an inclination to evil. Our lives on earth are a test during which two supernatural entities contend for possession of our immortal souls.

One, our Creator, heavenly Father and Best Friend wants only our welfare in this life and ultimately, our eternal happiness in heaven. The other, the devil, tries to win our allegiance on earth so we will suffer in hell forever. That will be his own fate, and misery loves company.

On our own, we could never withstand the temptations to which humans are subject. However, when we stay close to God in prayer, He gives us all the necessary strength and direction to withstand every danger which threatens our eternal salvation.

* Christians pray for others. Humans are social creatures. We were not meant to live in isolation. We should view others as beloved children of God, just as we are, and help them and pray for them whenever we can. In doing so, we please our Almighty Father.

Jesus is our prime example of offering intercessory prayers. He asked to God bless and protect His followers. (John 17:6-26)

On the cross, He even prayed for His executioners: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34

In fact, His whole earthly life was a perfect prayer to God for the benefit of others. He left the perfection of heaven to come to earth, where He lived a life of self-sacrifice and ultimately was subjected to a painful and humiliating death. He did this to atone for the sins of humanity, so that we could enter heaven and live forever with God .

Jesus' time on earth also served another purpose. It made prayer easier for the many people who would live in subsequent generations. It is difficult to relate to a Being we do not know, and humans, with our limited mental powers, could never comprehend the essence and the majesty of the Godhead.

Jesus put a human face on God. He gave us a focus, an image to whom our prayers could be directed, thus making a close relationship with the Almighty easier to establish and maintain. God dearly desires a close relationship with His human children.

* Christians pray to achieve inner peace. It is a great blessing to know that Someone who loves us is in charge of the world and everything in it. Jesus Christ promised His followers peace.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid." John 14:27

In the midst of the cares, concerns and crises with which we are constantly bombarded in modern society, this is a major benefit of an active prayer life.

To summarize, these then are some of the reasons Christians should pray:

(A) We pray to adore God.

(B) We pray to follow Jesus' example.

(C) We pray because prayer is effective.

(D) We pray to thank God for our blessings.

(E) We pray for direction and strength in overcoming temptation.

(F) We pray for others.

(G) We pray to achieve inner peace.

Upon reflection, it becomes obvious that prayer is one of the greatest gifts that God has bestowed upon us. It enables us, lowly creatures that we are, to communicate directly with Him, the Creator of the universe. Not only are we recipients of that great honor, but He listens and responds to our communication. As additional benefits, He gives us strength, direction and gifts us with the blessing of inner peace.

Perhaps the original title should be rephrased. Instead of listing reasons "Why Christians Should Pray", it might be more fitting to inquire, "Why on Earth Would Christians Not Pray?"

All Biblical quotations in this article are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.