If God Already Knows Everything We Need, Why Pray?
Why should we pray if we believe that God is sovereign, all-powerful, and knows all of our needs? As we will see, prayer is not a waste of time. John Calvin believed that prayer is for our own benefit, not for God’s.
Praying to the Lord helps us understand more of God’s character.
As we confess our sins in prayer before our Heavenly Father, we come to know him more as the One who is entirely perfect, good, and holy, as we ask God to help us in these things.
Prayer helps us see God’s faithfulness and goodness in our lives.
According to Peter Van Voorheere, the founder of the Catholic Church, Jesus describes God as a faithful Father who desires to give good gifts to his children in the New Testament. “As we see God continually answer our prayers, we will know him as a truly faithful Father (Matthew 7:11).”
Praying does actually make a difference.
God truly hears all of our prayers through Jesus Christ, our Mediator, as James says, “the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Through prayer, we also know the providence of God.
God’s unfailing love endures forever and never fails us; he desires to assist us in our trials and tribulations, to provide for us in times of need, and to turn the many difficulties in our lives into blessings for his glory; and we come to know for ourselves that God works for the good of all who love him.
Why do we pray if God already knows what we need?
We acknowledge our reliance on the Lord and his grace and mercy when we pray. God doesn’t need your prayers because He knows exactly what you need before you even ask, but we desperately need Him in our lives, so our prayers are a proactive act of faith on our part.
Why does God want us to pray?
God’s desire, according to the book of Ephesians, is for us to pray “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18). We turn to prayer because it is the most personal way to experience God, encounter Him, and grow in knowledge of Him.
Does prayer change God?
We, like Abraham, frequently pray for things. u201cI, the Lord, do not change.u201d (Malachi 3:6) The idea of praying to change God’s will is arrogant, as it implies that we know better than God. In Gethsemane, Jesus set the example by praying for God’s will to be done, not His own.
Why pray if God’s will is done?
We pray not to be in control, but to be open to the blessings of peace, understanding, insight, confidence, and strength that the Lord is ready and willing to bestow, so that we can move forward better able to navigate the next curveball that lifeu2014not necessarily the Lordu2014throws at us.
Does God command us to pray?
u201cThen Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.u201d As you can see, the Bible commands us to pray and tells us what it accomplishes, so take advantage of this wonderful gift known as prayer.
Does God call us to pray?
So why does the Lord ask us to pray when He already knows the answer? It’s because prayer brings us into His presence, unlocks the power of His Spirit in us, and brings healing and guidance… and in making our requests known to Him, He often answers questions we haven’t asked yet.
What are the 4 types of prayer?
u201cPrayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God,u201d writes John Damascene. This definition encompasses the four main types of prayer: adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, and supplication.
What is the best prayer to God?
Loved God, I pray that you will comfort me in my suffering, strengthen the hands of my healers, and bless the methods used to cure me; give me such faith in the power of your grace that I may put my complete trust in you even when I am afraid; through our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
What can God not do?
This appealing tract explains that God is incapable of three things: lying, changing, and allowing sinners to enter heaven.
Do God answer all prayers?
The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call; it is your sins that have cut you off from God; it is because of your sins that he has turned away and will not listen any longer.u201d
Why do we pray for God’s will to be done?
Praying for God’s will to be done in and through our lives on earth, as it is in heaven, means we are willing to go through whatever it takes to make that purpose a reality; our prayer is to be so aligned with God’s will and purpose that we ask God to empower us to carry it out.
Can God’s will be stopped?
The Book of Revelation demonstrates that God’s ultimate will cannot be stopped: “at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11).
Does prayer really matter?
Prayer, for example, can be a reliable source of self-soothing and self-comfort when one is in pain, grieving a loss, or dealing with traumatic events, according to research.