The Purpose of Prayer

I had always been good at math until one day something switched. That was the day I walked into geometry class. I flourished in algebra but something about all those shapes would not stick in my brain. I remember one day, my teacher asked a question to the class. A few raised their hands but most of us stared blankly at her. I did my best to avoid eye contact hoping my name wouldn't be called. Sure enough though, I heard, "Jordyn, do you know the answer?" I felt a lump in my throat and my face turned tomato red. I sat there silent for what seemed like a lifetime. Finally, I admitted, "I don't know". That became my answer for the rest of the semester.

I still find it difficult to admit when I don't know something sometimes. In fact, this happened to me yesterday. I was asked, "Why do we pray to God when He already knows what will happen?" I'll admit this question had me a little stumped. It's one of those questions that we may never fully know the answer to, but it sent me into a deep scriptural search on the purpose of prayer. So let's talk about it.

I think the deeper question within this is whether or not our action of prayer can influence or change God's mind. The answer is no. This is because God has already established His plans and scripture tells us that God is unchanging (Malachi 3:6). Therefore, His plans also remain constant. If God were to change His mind, it would imply that His original plan was not the best option, meaning it would need improvement. This idea contradicts His very nature. However, our prayer CAN change our circumstances. Knowing, in advance, how our actions and prayers would affect outcomes, God has already accounted for these in His plan. We don't know exactly how the Lord does this, but we do know that in His perfect timing and wisdom, God answers our prayers for His glory. So, why do we need to pray if God has already determined His plan and action? Here are a few important aspects of prayer we should consider:

It's important to distinguish between determinism and fatalism. Determinism means that God has determined every single event and there is only ever one possible future - the one God determined. This differs from fatalism which suggests that our choices don't affect the future. Some people think that since God has already determined the future, then their prayers and actions don't matter. Fatalism is incorrect because it suggests that God only determines some future events. In reality, God has already planned the beginning, the end, and the means of how the events will unfold. For example, if God had planned to heal someone from cancer in a few months, it will happen and cannot fail to happen. The event is set. But so is every other event leading up to that moment, including the prayers that were prayed for their healing. To say we don't need to pray because God has determined all outcomes is like saying we don't need to take medicine, find a job, or look for a spouse because God has determined all outcomes.

The first reason we pray is to invite God in. We serve a God who grants us free will and as a result, He will not raid our lives. We have to allow Him in. Revelations 3:20 tells us, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." Often, we want God to break down the door and clean and change everything for us. When in reality, God is knocking at our hearts waiting for us to open the door, let Him come in, and allow Him to restore our brokenness. He waits for our surrender and a heart that is open to restoration.

In our culture, prayer is often used as a means of getting what we want. I'm sure many of us have prayed for a good grade without studying for the test or we have asked for a new car just because we want it. This isn't real prayer. Prayer is not an attempt to get everything we want, it is an attempt to develop a closer relationship with God. Scripture tells us that the purpose of life is to know and love the Lord and then to love and serve others. The first purpose of prayer is to get to know the Lord. So often in the Psalms, we can observe that prayer is a struggle. It's not a ritualistic saying or magical formula that you say every night before bed. Prayer is not a technique that you learn to get what you want. Prayer is the human struggle to get to know God and develop intimacy with Him.

 I believe the true essence of prayer is misunderstood. We get so caught up believing that prayer is supposed to change God, but really it's supposed to change us. The purpose of prayer is to learn to align my will with God's. We see this with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will (Matthew 26:39). Think about it. Jesus prayed and offered up His request. Did you see how He did it though? He presented His requests in a way that prioritized surrendering to the will of God. Following the will of God was of higher importance to Jesus than getting what He desired. Jesus used prayer as a means to align Himself with the Father's plans. So when God doesn't answer our prayers the way we ask, God might be more focused on aligning us with His will rather than fulfilling our desires. In addition, God uses prayer to bring about His will. Prayer is powerful and effective in ways we could never understand. We don't know exactly how, but we know that God uses our prayers to bring about His will and change events. This doesn't mean that God depends on our prayers because He doesn't. God does what God chooses to do.

Our understanding of God's sovereignty should not discourage us from praying, but rather inspire us to engage in deeper, more meaningful prayer. Prayer is a powerful tool that aligns our hearts with God's will, changes our circumstances, and ultimately transforms us. Without our prayers, certain events may not unfold, people may not find Christ, and relationships may remain broken. So, let's embrace the true purpose of prayer, allowing it to change us and bring about God's perfect will in our lives. Prayer changes things because prayer changes us.

May your roots run deep and your faith remain strong! As always, Stay Rooted, my friends! <3