What is prayer

There are 7.6 billion people living on earth today. That’s billions of problems people are facing at any moment. If even a fraction of humanity talks to God about their problems – that’s hundreds of millions of prayers every hour. So it begs the question – if God exists, why would He be interested in me?

The idea that God is distant and disinterested is very common. Many people believe God created the universe and then completely forgot about us. It’s understandable when you consider how much evil, pain, and death there is in the world.

But the Bible describes God as being present and approachable amidst the mess of life. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to experience that very same pain, evil, and death – so he understands your pain. God is interested in you and wants to hear from you.

Prayer has been a part of us since humanity first emerged. The majority of tribes and peoples throughout history have acknowledged the existence of some kind of Creator and desired to communicate with it.

The ability and desire for communication with our Creator is in our very bones.

You don’t need statues, incense or music to talk to God; prayer is relational, like talking to a close friend or relative. When Jesus taught his followers to pray he said to simply go into your room, close the door, and pray to your father in heaven (Matthew 6:6).

The Bible talks a lot about prayer. It says if you draw near to God He will draw near to you (James 4:8). It also says that you can pray to God no matter what you’ve done, He knows you, has compassion for you and understands your weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15-16).

There are also many benefits to praying regularly.

Prayer brings clarity. It helps your mind focus on the things that are important to you. Since they often revolve around the most pressing things in your life, praying helps you process those thoughts.

Prayer also brings freedom. When you acknowledge and tell God your mistakes (the Bible calls them sins), it helps you learn from them. The Bible says that God forgives our sins and brings us freedom and that what we ultimately need is not only to learn from sins but to be saved from them. That’s why Jesus came.

If you’re curious about talking to God – give it a try. What can you lose? You can start by simply sharing what’s on your mind in the most honest way you know how. You could also use a prayer Jesus taught his followers:

“Father in heaven, your name is holy. May your kingdom come, and your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Provide for me my daily food, and forgive my sins, as I also forgive those who sin against me. Don’t lead me into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Amen”

Start your prayer journey today. Take some time out and speak to Jesus as if he was a close friend.