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Prayer is one of the most vital and important things that you can do as a Christian. It is a simple act, but one that requires great faith and commitment, and people often underestimate the power within it.
Prayer is how we communicate with God, our Heavenly Father. It is the most personal and intrinsic way of keeping our faith alive and staying connected to God, some one-on-one time.
Prayer is sacred and special and full of power. Prayer can seem like a small wave of faith but done regularly, it becomes an ocean capable of moving the world for you, and we’re going to talk about how exactly it is that prayer can change things, not only for you in your daily life, but for everyone as a whole.
We’ll start by saying that it doesn’t matter how often you pray. Most people feel as though they don’t pray enough, and that’s because it can be hard to keep up with prayer, and that’s okay. God understands and is always there to welcome us into the conversation when we are ready, or in need.
It is also worth noting, that one of the reasons people don’t feel as though praying can change much, is because they are not confident in the way that they pray. For many, it is a struggle of “am I praying right?” or “what if others are praying better?”.
But here’s the thing, your prayer won’t always be eloquent, or well-thought-out, or regularly scheduled. And for other people they are. But that’s not the most important part.
The most important thing about praying is the strength of your conviction, and the willingness you have to trust in God. That is what will allow your prayer to gain power, and you will then see that it does truly change things.
But let’s get more specific. From different ways in which prayer can change things, to the 5 basic forms of prayer, and some other questions, we’re going to cover it all. So please, join us, and read on!
Ways in Which Prayer Can Change Things
Sometimes, it can be hard to notice how prayer changes things for you, and in your life, and for humanity as a whole. This is because the changes can sometimes be quite subtle, or they build up slowly over time. But know that prayer holds power, and keeps you connected to God.
Here are some specific ways in which prayer changes things:
Prayer Strengthens your Faith and Conviction
First and foremost, prayer will change your faith and conviction by making it stronger and more sacred. It will allow you to connect with your faith, and by putting yourself in its hands, you will learn to trust the path laid out by God, so that you may find your place in this world, and reach the reward of eternal paradise beyond it.
Life isn’t always kind to Christians, and by improving your faith through prayer you will be able to withstand the storms a lot better.
Prayer Helps You Build Friendships
Praying doesn’t only strengthen our faith in God, it also brings us closer to his teachings. And what is at the core of his teachings? Love. With regular prayer, we become more aware of others, and the beauty of humanity, and we can become more selfless, finding happiness in the serving of others.
And by a natural consequence of this, we will become better friends, helping us build stronger bonds with our friends, family, and loved ones, mainly because we will learn to understand and listen to their needs better than ever.
This is one of the most beautiful things that prayer can change, because not only does praying bring us closer to God, it brings us all closer to one another, as we learn to spread the love in a healthier and better way, building friendships, and becoming one family, as the true children of our Heavenly Father.
Prayer Allows You to Connect with the Holy Spirit
When in prayer, we commune with God, his son, and the Holy Spirit. As we have always been taught to show great respect, this can be quite daunting, and at first, it might seem awkward. How are you supposed to talk to a spirit, after all? What are you supposed to even talk about when praying?
But the more you pray, the more prayer will change your approach to this, until you begin to see the Holy Spirit for what it truly is: the power through which you commune with God.
And as for how you should be speaking…speak as you would to a friend. God is your friend, the truest of them all, and he is there to listen to you, offering support and lending strength, so that you might overcome every obstacle and prove yourself as worthy as he knows you are.
Prayer Allows You to Know God More Intimately
God is mysterious in his ways, and in his very being. Growing up, faith in God can be a tricky thing, especially because it requires strength of conviction and prayer to commune with him.
There are so many questions and so many things you want to understand, and there is a limit as to what the Church and the Bible can teach you. They are but a fraction of what God is.
But prayer, amongst other things, can become the medium through which you learn more, and understand better. Through prayer, it is just you and God, talking as friends, getting to know one another.
You can be as intimate as you want, and God will see every part of you, revealing himself in turn. Through prayer, you can understand God like never before, and you will uncover new layers to your faith and religion.
Prayer Helps You Achieve a Better Lifestyle
It can be hard to pray every day, especially nowadays, in which you have to juggle so many things at once. But getting into a good routine of praying every day can have huge benefits, and amongst them, it will help change your lifestyle so that it is better, helping you stay consistent with your goals and routines.
Praying every day essentially sets you up for success for the rest of your day, so that your overall lifestyle improves and becomes better. It puts you in the right state of mind and strengthens your spirit so that you are better equipped to deal with obstacles, setbacks, and struggles.
Praying will invite God into your everyday life, and he will be there to look out for you, even when it doesn’t seem like it. It will encourage you to improve upon yourself too, becoming healthier and more conscious of the actions you take.
Prayer Will Help You Focus on the Eternal Beyond this World
Praying brings you closer to God, and closer to your faith as a whole. It helps you follow the teachings of Jesus, and it sets you on the right path, as a Christian, to do good, and improve to become the best possible version of yourself.
And in turn, it will focus your mind so that you see, more than ever before, the possibility of that eternal beyond the mortal world you are in.
It will become all the more clear that we are only here in passing, and that we are on our way to God’s paradise. This means that everything that might bring us down, will lose power over you, and instead, you will gain power over yourself, your actions, and your conviction.
Death, illness, suffering, poverty…you should do all that you can to help those in need, but you will no longer lose yourself to sadness or despair, for you will know what is waiting for you. God will show to you if you talk about it, and he will guide you in the right direction.
There are many sayings about how people pray when they are in need, and they aren’t wrong. When you are in need, God is who will always be there, no matter what. It is in times of great need when people most turn to God, and finally start practicing their faith, asking for a miracle, and searching for a solution.
But praying doesn’t only hold power in times of need, or when you seek refuge in its embrace. Praying is also there for the good times, so that you may share your joy with God, singing praise and practicing gratefulness, for it is all as he commands it to be.
But does praying change things differently, depending on whether it is good times or bad times? Not quite. In both instances, God will be there to receive you, and offer support, reaffirming your strength and assuring you that you are on the right path. But the perception we have can differ.
When we go through good times, praying can sometimes come easier, for we are happy and grateful, and our faith soars, reaffirmed by the positive experiences and blessings we are receiving from life. However, it is important to remember to thank God, and to not lose our connection to him just because we feel fulfilled in life. God is the only true happiness.
When we go through hard times, praying can often be harder, but at the same time, easier. More people remember to pray when life is hard, because they are searching for answers, and wishing for a miracle.
They want to desperately reignite that flame of faith so that God will be there with them, holding them, to avoid the fall. But the praying itself is harder, more difficult, and complex. It can be full of resentment, for how could God allow such suffering? Or full of doubt, especially if you haven’t prayed in a while. Will God even listen?
But God will be there, and praying can bring comfort in the assurance of a greater plan. One that we might not understand, and that might bring us pain, but that is based on the purest form of love.
The 5 Basic Forms of Prayer
Prayer can take any form you need it to take, and you can approach prayer in your own unique way. At the end of the day, praying is you talking to God, as a friend, in the most intimate of ways, and therefore prayer should be unique to each individual, and that individual’s relationship with faith.
That being said, traditionally there are 5 basic forms of prayer, that we recommend you learn about:
Praise
This is for praising God and acknowledging his Heavenly greatness and love. It is for the grandeur of faith, and to express your devotion.
Petition
The petition, in prayer, is very common, and essentially comes down to you asking something of God. it can be as big as a miracle, in your time of need, or as small as a favor, to make yourself better. It is almost a request, and most of the time, it works best when you offer God something in return, a show of faith and devotion, for example.
Supplication
Begging God is something that many do when they pray out of desperation or necessity, usually in our darkest and most troubled times. Whether you are begging for mercy, or forgiveness, or a miracle, just know that God listens, and knows what is best.
Intercession
Intercession is when you ask God to intervene on your behalf, or on the behalf of others. Asking on behalf of others is especially powerful, and it is why praying for others, even those that you do not know, is a beautiful act of love.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a very important form of prayer, in which you thank God for your blessings and joys, and thank him for life itself. There are so many things to be grateful for, and focusing on this for a little while every day can bring about great benefits and a better state of mind.
All five forms of prayer are equally important, and some people choose to incorporate them all into the same prayer, by having a sort of step-by-step process in which you aim to cover “different subjects” when talking to God.
You can start by praising God, then petitioning him for what you need, for example. And it is always good practice to either start or end your prayer by giving thanks.
Does Prayer Actually Change Things?
So…does prayer actually change things? It can be hard to see the signs, and often, the changes brought about through prayer are subtle, and become so intrinsic to the way we live life that it can be hard to acknowledge them as a direct result of us talking to God on a regular basis. But prayer does indeed change things.
Whether it is your lifestyle and outlook on life and the world around you or the way you overcome obstacles and get through the day, praying can set you up for success and offer you the best kind of support.
It will also completely change the way in which you interact with your faith, as you will get to know God on a much more intimate level of understanding, strengthening your relationship and bond, so that you completely trust in the greater plan that he has for us all.
How Prayer Changes Things in the Bible?
Praying is one of the main things that we were taught to continue doing by Jesus when he walked the earth beside us. And in fact, the Bible is full of examples in which praying was the method through which things could be changed, accomplished, or endured.
One of the main instances in which we see Jesus himself pray to God, is the night of his arrest, before the crucifixion. Jesus knows that he is going to die, and in order to surrender himself to these events, so that he may sacrifice himself to cleanse all humans from sin, he prays to God, his and our Father, for strength and courage.
If Jesus had not prayed that night, would he have been able to sacrifice himself? Likely not, as it is through God that we find the strength to do what is right.
Some examples from the Bible that corroborate this:
Matthew 14:23
After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone
Mark 6:46
After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.
Luke 6:12
It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.
And Jesus isn’t the only example! The Bible is full of stories in which people pray, and those prayers are answered, in one way or another, with the will of God. It is therefore established as the main way in which we can all directly communicate and commune with our Heavenly Father, to seek refuge and find strength, and to ask so that we may receive. Just remember, our prayers are always listened to, and so you are never truly alone.
Prayer is a lesson from Jesus:
A big part of being Christian is to actively follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and to walk in his footsteps, for the greater good of all humankind. And if we do so, we will reach the promised paradise of eternal life. As such, it is important to pay attention to the lessons of Jesus, which are given to us through the Bible, and through the Church.
One of the main lessons from Jesus is prayer. Time and time again Jesus gathered with his disciples to pray so that they could all connect with God in Heaven. The very foundation of the Church is to gather as a community and pray, so that we may raise all of our voices, becoming one.
In fact, the disciples, upon seeing how Jesus prayed to his Father, asked to be taught, so that they could pray, and pass down that knowledge to others. Praying is the very core of being Christian, and one of the most sacred ways of communing with our faith, even when alone.
Take this verse, for example:
Luke 11:1
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”
Praying is a lesson from Jesus, one that we can all learn to improve and perform regularly, for a better life, and a better understanding of the complexities of our faith.
Final Thoughts
Does prayer change things? The only answer is yes, and even when we aren’t aware of how it is changing things, in ourselves and our life, and the people around us, it is imbuing us with power, straight from the strength of God.
No matter how you pray, or how often, know that it is the most intimate way of directly speaking to God, and the connection you can build with him, through your faith, is powerful in of itself.
