Many people wonder what the Bible has to say about praying. The topic of praying is of high importance in the Bible. People pray in many ways and for many reasons. The most important aspect of praying is that it puts a person in direct communication with God, which helps him to build a relationship with God.
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Identification
The word "praying" appears in the Bible 36 times. Some form of the word "pray" appears in the Bible 365 times. Clearly, praying is an important act in the Bible. Praying is how God's people communicate with God. People pray for things that they want (Genesis 25:21), for protection (Genesis 32:11), for relief (Numbers 21:7), for intercession (Deuteronomy 9:20), for strength (Judges 16:28), for guidance (1 Samuel 14:41) and also in gratitude (1 Samuel 2:1).
Function
Praying is a way that God's people can stay connected with God. The Bible provides a wonderful example of this in I Samuel 1 and 2. An infertile woman named Hannah is shown praying to God "out of my great anguish and grief" (I Samuel 1:16) and later praying to God out of joy (I Samuel 2:1-11). In the Psalms, the Bible provides examples of praying in all sorts of situations, from despondency (Psalm 39:12) to joy (Psalm 66:20).
Significance
Praying has the potential to change the course of your life and/or the lives of others. Hannah's praying resulted in the healing of her infertility (I Samuel 1:20). Nehemiah's praying resulted in strengthening him in his weakness (Nehemiah 6:9). Ezra's praying resulted in God's people repenting and returning to God (Ezra 10:1-3). The church's praying even got the disciple Peter released from prison (Acts 12:1-19). Even Jesus found praying necessary to strengthen him through the last day of his life (Luke 22:39-46).
Misconceptions
Many people mistakenly believe that praying must be done out loud. They set aside time to get on their knees for audible praying. The Bible says that praying can be done "in the heart" at any time, even spontaneously throughout your day-to-day life. In fact, Nehemiah sent a quick prayer to God between hearing the king's question and providing an answer (See Nehemiah 2:4-5). Abraham's servant sent up a similar type of "arrow prayer" in Genesis 24:45.
Benefits
The Bible says that praying has many benefits. Of course, there is the obvious benefit of receiving what you are praying for (I Samuel 1:20). There is the benefit of God providing you with the strength to get through a difficult situation (Luke 22:39-46). However, the biggest benefit is finding comfort in God and building a relationship of trust with Him. Psalm 6 provides a wonderful example of this benefit.
