Pray continually.
(1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV)
Why would we pray? Doesn’t God know our needs and our thoughts before we utter one word? Often, prayer is viewed as a means of getting God to agree with our plans or agenda. So we rattle off a long list of petitions, hoping to get a nod of approval from God.
But what if we thought of prayer in a way to align our will with God’s—getting us on board with His agenda? God may know our thoughts, but we don’t know His! God can impress upon us what to pray for if we keep still and listen during our prayer time. He can share His thoughts with us. Then our will can line up with His, and our prayers will be answered.
God is constantly working in the world around us. He didn’t stop after Creation! God wants us to be involved in His work also. When we pray, and He answers, our faith soars! We catch a small glimpse of what He is doing in the spiritual realm. God desires we be dependent on Him, trusting that He knows what is best. Prayer enables us to grow in our intimacy with Him.