Why Do We Pray?

Why Do We Pray?

When the book of James tells us to confess our sins to one another, he follows that up by telling us to pray. That’s an interesting combination, isn’t it?

James 5:16

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another.”

Have you ever wondered what confessions accomplishes? Why do we need to pray if God already knows everything? I mean, if God is sovereign and He knows everything, including our needs and desires, why pray at all?

Prayer benefits both the praying person and God, who receives glory from the prayer. For the one who is praying, prayer turns our hearts toward Him and softens it towards others. We become like-minded with God when we pray.

But, mostly, God is glorified when we pray and isn't that our purpose ... to glorify God? RC Sproul said it this way:

"Prayer, like everything else in the Christian life, is for God’s glory and for our benefit, in that order. Everything that God does, everything that God allows and ordains, is in the supreme sense for His glory. It is also true that while God seeks His own glory supremely, man benefits when God is glorified. We pray to glorify God, but we also pray in order to receive the benefits of prayer from His hand. Prayer is for our benefit, even in light of the fact that God knows the end from the beginning. It is our privilege to bring the whole of our finite existence into the glory of His infinite presence."

So, why pray? We pray because God tells us to pray but we also pray because our supreme mission in life is to bring glory to our Creator. Prayer accomplishes that. So pray for someone today. Right now. Watch them - and you - reap the benefits!

Revelation 4:11

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”