Does it Really Matter if I Pray?
Does it really matter if I pray? God already knows what is going to happen. Will God really answer my prayer?
Have you ever thought this? Or had someone ask you this question?
I must admit that sometimes I have wondered about the questions above.
I’ve thought about these questions often. I’ve studied God’s Word. I’ve read books on prayer.
I have found an answer to these questions.
Yes, it does really matter if I pray.
Even though God knows everything that is going to happen.
Yes, God really will answer my prayer.
God is a kind, loving Father who wants to hear from His children. He wants to hear our requests. He promises to answer our prayers.
1 John 5:14: And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.
Yes, God does know what is going to happen. That includes whether or not we are going to pray about something and ask Him to help in the situation.
He wants us to let Him know our wants. He wants to know about the things that we care about. He will answer our prayers.
Perhaps like me you are going through a difficult season in your life and you need a caring reminder that God is true to His Word.
God recently answered a prayer of mine immediately. Right before my eyes. Then, a few days later when I was studying Psalm 26, a cross reference sent me to an example in the Bible where God answered a King’s prayer.
I’d like to share both stories with you in hopes that they will encourage you.
Recently at a time when tensions were high in our home, my son was backing out into the road in a downpour. I watched from a window and realized that he was about to hit our new truck.
There was nothing I could do to stop it, but pray.
My son couldn’t see the truck through the downpour of rain. I did the only thing I could do, I prayed that the Lord would not let the two vehicles hit.
I couldn’t tell from my location if the vehicles hit or not, but I saw my son stop and sit there for almost a full minute and then he took off again. He didn’t come back inside so I thought that was a good sign that God had answered my prayer, but I couldn’t see clearly through the rain.
After what seemed like hours later, the rain subsided and I was able to go out and look at the truck. No dings, no scratches. Nothing. Absolutely no sign of a collision!
Let me share the whole amazing truth with you. Based on the location of the truck and where my son’s vehicle had been, there is no way, without the Lord’s intervening, that the two vehicles didn’t collide.
Only God kept that from happening. I am still amazed (it is good to remember that our God is amazing!) when I remember that moment because I know the Lord worked a miracle for me. He honored my prayer. I asked. He heard me. He answered.
If I hadn’t prayed, there would have been an accident that rainy morning. But God intervened because I asked.
God cares. He wants to hear from His children.
James 5:16: …The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
There are many times in the Bible where we read a story of when God answered prayer.
I’d like to share one of them hear. In this story from the Bible God clearly changed what was going to happen because one of His children prayed.
In II Kings we read about King Hezekiah and his entreaties to the Lord. In chapter 2 verses 1-11, we read that King Hezekiah is ill and dying. The prophet Isaiah came and told him that the Lord said he was about to die and he should get his house in order.
But King Hezekiah didn’t want to die, so he wept and prayed to the Lord. The Bible says that even before Isaiah had left the premises that the Lord sent him back to the King with a new message.
The Lord had heard the King’s prayer and gave him another 15 years of life.
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Psalm 34:15: The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry.
We can trust the Lord to answer our prayers. He wants to hear from us. It is true that He already knows what is going to happen. He also knows whether or not we are going to ask Him to help us in a situation.
Do you care enough about something to ask God for what you want in the situation? He is waiting to hear from you. You can trust Him to hear and answer your prayers.
Psalm 26:1 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity; I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
Next time you are struggling with the concept of prayer and if your prayers will make a difference, I hope that you will remember these incidences of God’s amazing love for us.
Also, let me encourage you to study your Bible and look for some other examples where God changed what was about to happen because one of His children prayed.
Have their been times in your life when you have seen God’s miraculous answers to your prayers that you would like to share with our community? I’d love to hear from you. You can share them in the comments section below.
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