Sooner or later, everyone longs for an answer to the question: why exactly is it that I am supposed to pray? If we never ask that question, it may be because we assume prayer is simply a matter of giving God a grocery list of what we need or want, and then waiting to see what comes of it. Prayer is, of course, so much more than that.
Sometimes people wonder, what is prayer doing to God? How does it affect Him? At least as important, and probably more important, is the question: what is prayer doing to me? The Bible clearly tell us that prayer is one of the main ways God transforms us.
Yes, that is His intent—transformation. Metamorphosis. A caterpillar becoming a butterfly. “And we…are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). Transformation does not take place overnight, but it does happen.
One of the most powerful things prayer does, and one of the reasons we must regularly pray, is that it shapes our faith. Here are four ways prayer does that:
1. Prayer as Position: We are UNDER God
Bowing our heads is not the only prayer posture, but it is one of the most common, and whenever we do bow there is one powerful truth impressing itself on our minds: we are under God. That’s so important for us to grasp. It’s not the posture of defeat or discouragement or shame; it’s the position of submission, subservience, and respect. By bowing before God (not merely with our bodies but with our attitudes and disposition), we become more capable of going into the world and throughout the tasks of the day with more faith-founded confidence. There is One above me as my chief, my protector, my manager, my shepherd, my physician, my Lord. To bow before such a God is a privilege, not a burden. It costs us, because pride is sacrificed as is self-sovereignty and arrogance, but we are set free in the process.
2. Prayer as Presence: We are WITH God
Have you ever caught yourself talking to someone you thought was in the room but they weren’t? Maybe you went on and on at great length, only to end up feeling very foolish. When we speak we hope someone will be listening.
Likewise, if we pray, it is because we believe someone is listening. It’s possible for people to pray because it is habit or ritualistic obligation with no real belief that anyone is really listening, but ordinarily we pray because we believe that the Creator of the universe, our loving Father, hears our words. And if we believe that, then the act of prayer becomes one more transforming moment when this truth is penetrating our minds and hearts: we are with God and God is with us.
This is no small thing. It’s what most of us are hoping for most of the time. Whether it be at the funeral for a loved one, at the window watching the children get on the school bus, or home alone when your spouse is going to a difficult meeting—we want to know, we need to know, God is with us.
So we pray. And when we pray—be it a sentence or an essay—we are understanding that we are not alone. We exercise a privilege that no one can take away. We can pray anytime, anywhere, for any reason. Schools can’t keep God out, nor can governments, families, or a godless culture. The simple experience of prayer keeps our minds and hearts pressed close to God Himself no matter where we are or what we’re doing.
3. Prayer as Power: We are IN God
Though the Bible says we are with God and God is with us, that doesn’t mean that He is just near us. He is more than a handy neighbor. All of the times the Bible says we are “in Christ” (or the Father or the Spirit) or Christ is in us, we are getting the truth that we dwell in God. He is in you. I know that because when I am out of town I can still hear my wife’s voice (usually reminding me that I’ve already bought enough books or computer equipment, but also good things like her love and care). Her presence is real even when she is not present. This is an imperfect analogy because God’s reality is much greater than any human being. He really is present wherever we are. Yet this is the point—to have a relationship with God is to be in Him, and when we are in Him, we have the power of the Creator Himself working in us and through us. We realize all that when we pray.
Why is prayer so powerful? Not because talking heavenward is powerful in itself, but because the One we are speaking to holds the power of the universe itself in His hand. Power comes not from prayer, but from God through prayer.
“If God is for us, who can be against us”? This and a multitude of other verses remind us that if we are in God, then we stand in the midst of His awesome power. And prayer is that truth-telling moment when, in faith, we speak to the Lord of all lords.
4. Prayer as Purpose: We are FOR God
There is a sense in which we live in this world on a mission for God. We are His ambassadors, His representatives, and sometimes His warriors. He has sent us into the world. Because of that, we have a multitude of reasons to pray—prayer for strength, for wisdom, for protection, and for provision. Those on a mission need supplies.
Prayer at these times drives home this truth: we are for God. We pray with a purpose. Such prayers remind us that our lives have purpose. In fact, some people believe that their greatest purpose in life is to hold others up in prayer. It’s why the apostle Paul pleaded with the churches to pray for him, and it’s why missionaries and pastors feel honored, respected, and loved when people tell them that they are praying seriously for them.
We can’t transform ourselves. Never could and never will. Only God can do that. Sometimes transformation comes in large steps, often after a crisis. However, most of the time God transforms the small steps that we take when we open our hearts to Him and pray.
