Have you ever felt like your prayers were bouncing off the ceiling? Maybe you’ve wondered if God was really listening, or if your words are even making a difference. Prayer is not just a religious thing you do—it’s a living, ongoing conversation with God. It’s how we bring our joys, struggles, and questions before Him, and how we hear His heart for us in return.
The Bible gives us a clear foundation for prayer. Paul tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6–7). Jesus Himself showed us how to pray in Matthew 6:9–13, teaching His disciples what we now call The Lord’s Prayer. And in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we’re reminded to “pray without ceasing”—a call to keep God at the center of every moment. Even Daniel, faced with the threat of a lion’s den, continued his habit of praying three times a day (Daniel 6:10).
Prayer serves many purposes. It draws us closer to God, transforms our hearts, and gives us wisdom for daily decisions (James 1:5). Sometimes, the greatest change prayer brings is not in our circumstances, but in us.
This truth is just as relevant today as it was in Bible times. I think of stories in our own church family—of healing, peace in the middle of grief, and doors opening when everything seemed impossible. As Corrie ten Boom once said, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” In other words—do we let prayer guide us, or only use it when we’re in trouble? I know that sometimes I am guilty of the spare tire example. When things are going smoothly in my life, I tend to call on the Lord less. I want to change that!
God gives this promise in Jeremiah 29:12: “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Let’s be a church that goes to God first, not last—trusting that He hears, He cares, and He responds.