The Importance of Prayer in Our Daily Lives and How It Can Benefit Us in Many Ways
By Aaron Joseph Hall
When we pray, it is not so that we can get what we want from God. Rather, prayer is a way to connect with Him and realign our hearts with His.
Prayer is one of the most important aspects of our lives as followers of Jesus, and it should not be taken lightly. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of prayer and how it can benefit us in many ways!
Prayer is not something we should only do at church or during Bible study. It’s something we can do every single day. Like any relationship, if you don’t spend time with that person the relationship will suffer. Prayer is a way for us to spend time with God. It is a way to connect with Him and align our hearts with His.
When we pray, we are inviting God into our lives and asking for His guidance. And if you’re anything like me, I NEED His guidance every day!
The importance of prayer
Prayer is important because it helps us to stay close to God.
When we pray, we are opening up our hearts to Him and He is able to work in us and through us. Prayer also helps us to grow in our relationship with God.
The more we talk and spend time with someone the more we get to know them. The same thing happens when we spend time in prayer connecting with God. The more time we spend talking to Him, the closer we will become!
The Bible says in James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (NKJV).
I can recall multiple times in my own life moments in prayer where I pressed into His presence (drawing near) and felt His peace that surpasses all understanding.
Prayer helps me focus on what truly matters. Prayer is important because it helps us see life through a heavenly lens! Recently, I lost a student in my youth group. It’s been hard and it’s been difficult navigating how to love on and minister to our students who are also hurting. Prayer has been a lifeline for me during this time. It’s allowed me to connect with God, hear Him, and feel His comfort while our church and community walk through grief.
Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (NKJV).
Prayer is important because it positions us to receive God’s peace that surpasses all understanding. In life’s hardest moments (and even in the good times), prayer helps me stay focused on what’s close to God’s heart!
So, why is prayer important in our lives? How often do you find yourself asking that question? Prayer is significant in the Bible and it can easily shape our daily walk with God. Prayer is more than just asking; it's about forming a deeper connection with the Lord Jesus. Through prayer, we find peace, guidance, and strength to navigate life's many challenges and struggles. Let’s dig into the profound impact of prayer and its essential role in our daily lives with Jesus.
Ways prayer can benefit us in our daily lives
I know I’ve already mentioned numerous ways prayer is important, but here are 10 ways prayer can benefit us in our daily lives:
1. Prayer can help us focus on what is important.
2. Prayer can help us to stay hopeful in dark times.
3. Prayer can help us feel connected to God on a deeper level.
4. Prayer can help us deal with difficult emotions and situations.
5. Prayer can help us find comfort and peace.
6. Prayer can help us develop a stronger relationship with God.
7. Prayer can help us become more compassionate people.
8. Prayer can give us strength during difficult times.
9. Prayer can help keep our minds and thoughts clear.
10. Prayer is a way of communicating with Jesus and asking for guidance and support in our lives.
Here’s the thing, prayer can only do any of that (and more) because of who Jesus Christ is! He’s the One who can help you focus, find peace, comfort, healing, strength, purpose and so much more. Prayer is important if we want to grow deeper in our walk with Jesus.
Just like how talking with a friend or family member helps you connect and grow closer, prayer is communication with God and allows us to grow closer to Him!
Thank God for prayer!
How Important Was Prayer to Jesus
When we explore the importance of prayer, it’s nearly impossible to dig into the life and teachings of Jesus without talking about prayer! For Jesus, prayer wasn’t just something He did out of routine. It wasn’t merely a religious duty but instead was an amazing expression of His relationship with the Father. When we read the Gospels, we see Jesus consistently making time for prayer and in doing so showing us He thought prayer to be pivotal in His life and ministry.
Why Prayer Is Important In Our Life:
Jesus is the ultimate example. His devotion to a consistent prayer life reveals the importance prayer should have in our daily lives. Jesus’ example is enough to know why it is important to pray! When Jesus made the time to pray, even with the busyness of His ministry and the demands of everyday life, He showed us the importance of prayer and how it helps us connect with the Father.
Prayer was a lifeline for Jesus and becomes one for us as we press into His presence. We should also mimic the prayer life Jesus exemplified in our fast-paced modern world where we are easily consumed in the busyness of day-to-day tasks, obligations, and commitments. Prayer can be a sanctuary for us like it was for Jesus!
Purpose Of Prayer:
For Jesus, prayer wasn't just something He did because that’s
what people who were Jewish. No, it was much more than that. It was personal, intimate, and very intentional. Jesus showed us a template for prayer, which was a template for meaningful communication with God. Through prayer, Jesus aligned His will with His Father’s and that’s what prayer does for us as well! When Jesus prayed,
He found clarity in the middle of confusion, courage in those moments of uncertainty, and compassion for the people He encountered. A Christian who has a prayerless life is more likely miserable and unlikely to reflect the nature of Christ to those they encounter. Prayer allows us to find the same immense, transformational power that Jesus did in prayer. It allows us to find strength and encouragement and connection with our Heavenly Father we would find no other way!
Prayer Is Essential:
If anything, Jesus showed us that prayer is not an optional practice for Christians, but is a spiritual discipline needed for spiritual vitality and maturity.
Prayer isn’t something that Jesus only did once His earthly ministry began. Before His baptism, transfiguration, and crucifixion, Jesus made prayer an essential element of His daily life. His prayers were never self-focused like how much of what we pray is. They were selfless and always seeking the heart of the Father and His will.
The importance of prayer in the life of Jesus cannot be overstated!
Prayer was His source of strength, wisdom, and compassion because He was connected to the source: His Heavenly Father! As we think about Jesus’ example of the importance of prayer, we should be asking the Lord to help us have the same strong, faith-filled prayer life that Jesus had.
Short Scriptures About Prayer
1. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV): "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
3. James 5:16 (NIV): "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
These verses highlight why prayer is important in the life of a believer. They show that prayer helps us find peace when we're anxious (I know I need that often), keeps us connected to God at all times, encourages us to express thankfulness in all circumstances, and allows us to experience the comforting and healing power of prayer when we come together as a community of believers!
Prayer for today:
Lord, teach us to pray today! Teach us how to commune with you in prayer and show us what we can do to spend more time in prayer today than yesterday. Thank You, Lord! Amen!
Aaron Joseph Hall is a husband, dad, pastor, speaker, and author. His latest book, Redeem the Story, is now available. He writes at AaronJosephHall.org. You can connect with him on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
