Our church is going through a spiritual journey for the next 35 days and the theme is “Partnership” from Philippians when the Apostle Paul admonishes them for their partnership in the gospel. This week our focus is on prayer.

Have you ever felt like asking God why you should pray? What is the point? Does it make a difference? When life seems unbearable, when emotionally we feel empty, and the future doesn’t look so bright; how could prayer help our situation? It is in prayer that we find a hope and a solution for every problem we face:

• Prayer readjusts the focus of our hearts and minds. In times of crisis, it is natural to focus on the darkness of the prevailing situation. But prayer moves us to look to a source of help that will never fail us. When we focus our minds on Christ and His ability to move mightily in our situation, our hearts will cease to be anxious. Peace will reign.

• Prayer gives us an opportunity to witness God’s involvement in our lives. His greatest desire is to build a personal relationship with each one of us. As we worship Him through prayer and lay out our hearts before Him, He draws near to us and offers His assurance and gracious acceptance.

• Prayer helps us to understand and know the love of God. Prayer is our direct line of communication to God, and His direct line of communication to us. True prayer begins with confession of any sin, followed by turning back to God. This practice of confession and repentance allows us to receive the lavish love of God unhindered.

There may be times when we wonder, why pray? When the world is crumbling all around us, prayer is the last thing we feel like doing. But this is the time when we need to pray the most. Prayer is your greatest avenue of hope, because it leads us straight into the throne room of God, our Heavenly Father. What stops you from praying? What do you enjoy the most about prayer?