Praying daily is a beautiful thing. However, for many of us, it can be difficult to have the time or energy to pray each day. If you struggle to pray daily, there are many things you can do to help. Prayer is something that we must cultivate in our daily life, because if we do not do it we will not be able to have good communication with the Lord. In other words, if we don’t pray daily, we are proposing the idea that we don’t need God.
As believers, when we actively pray, we recognize our dependence on Him. We need the Lord – there is no escaping that. This is why it is crucial for us to pray to Him daily. As we pray to Him, our hearts will turn to Him and our lives will be filled with more joy. If we turn away from God, we will only hurt ourselves and cause a breakdown in our relationship with Him.
Consider these four benefits of daily prayer:
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1. Get closer to God
One of the benefits of daily prayer is growing closer to God. Getting closer to God should be one of the main goals of our lives. It’s a relationship we have that will never end. For all eternity, we will continue to draw closer to God; however, we cannot do this unless we talk to Him daily. To invest in the future, we must act in the present. The Lord does not want us to separate ourselves from Him. Instead, He wants us to grow closer to Him and learn more about Him.
We cannot truly know God without talking to Him in prayer and reading about Him in the Bible. As with any friendship or relationship, we can only truly know someone if we talk to them. In the same way, you must talk with God in prayer to draw closer to Him. This is a huge advantage that should not be overlooked. God is our Creator, Redeemer and Savior. There is no reason to exclude him from our lives.
It is common for us to turn away from God when we are struggling or actively living in sin. Whether you are struggling with your faith or actively living in sin, God wants you to return to Him. He wants you to know that he loves you, that no feeling is too big for him, and that he always welcomes you into his home. Try to get into the habit of talking more with Him in prayer and you will have the benefit of growing closer to God. There is nothing better than having a close relationship with the Lord!
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2. Better understand God’s will
A second benefit of daily prayer is gaining a better understanding of God’s will. It can be difficult to understand God’s will if we never talk to Him and never read His Word. The more you come to God in prayer and read the Bible, the more you will learn about Him and understand His plan for your life. God has not left us blind to the future. Rather, he has told us everything we need to know about the future and how to live for it now.
By going to Him in prayer and reading His Word, we understand who He is and His character and have inner peace. We will rest in the truth that God loves us and wants the best for us. You don’t have to be afraid to tell God the hard things, like doubting your faith or turning away from Him at an earlier point in your life. God already knows this and wants to help you overcome these grudges.
He also wants to help you know his will better. By understanding the truth that you can come to God with all things, you are already living according to His will. God’s plan for your life is to cultivate a deep relationship with Him, to love others, and to help others know Him. Through prayer, His specific plan for your life will become more apparent and clearer to you. God is not some sort of magical genie who hides his will in a bottle. Rather, we can learn more about His will through prayer and Bible reading.
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3. The peace of knowing that you are never alone
A third benefit of prayer is the peace of knowing that you are never alone. You can go to God any time of the day and He is there. He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Others will leave us, but God never will. Prayer gives us the unique benefit of knowing that we are never alone. We can just start talking with God and we have the promise that He hears us. No prayer is too long or too short for Him. He wants to hear every prayer, wanting you to come to Him no matter what.
In our modern culture, it is extremely difficult not to feel alone. You may feel alone even though you are surrounded by people. Please know that you are not alone in this feeling, as many of us struggle with feeling alone in a crowd. Whether you are physically alone or not, prayer will give you the peace of knowing that you are never alone. Try praying the next time you are alone or afraid. The Lord will be with you and he will surround you with his peace.
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4. Cultivate your walk with God
A fourth benefit of daily prayer is to cultivate your walk with God. Cultivating your walk with God is very important because it will help you in all areas of life. However, without prayer you will not be able to cultivate your walk with God. Turn to God in prayer today and simply talk to Him. Even though it has been many years, He still wants to hear from you. Nothing separates you from His love (Romans 8:31-39).
Remember this if you struggle to pray to God every day. You don’t need to run or hide from Him. He wants you to come to Him and mature in your faith. Without prayer this cannot happen. Contact him today and talk with him about your feelings, worries and concerns. Only by praying daily can you cultivate your walk with Him.
Cultivating your walk with the Lord will help you deepen your relationship with Him and place more trust in the Lord. Unfortunately, many of us have doubts when bad things happen or when our prayers are not answered as we hoped, but this should not cause us to turn away from the Lord and stop talking with Him. Rather than turning away from God, turn to Him and work to cultivate your walk with Him through prayer. This is a great benefit that will help you in life in many ways.
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Originally published on Thursday January 18, 2024.