Welcome to season 2 of the Determined to Dance podcast. I pray that you’ll be uplifted, encouraged, and will move forward each and every day. Today’s episode, The Necessity of Prayer, dives deeper into the question of why we pray.

Show notes: The Necessity of Prayer

Is prayer really necessary? I mean, God knows all so why can’t He just fix things as He wants and make everything turn out perfect?

In God’s perfect plan, He decided to give man a choice. We were made in His image and given the command in Genesis to subdue the earth, be fruitful, multiply, and have dominion. Our heavenly Father wanted us to partner with Him in our day-to-day lives.

One of our choices is whether or not to communicate with God. Do we share and listen? Or live life without His input? To navigate the dance floor of life, we must stay close to Father God.

I wear many hats. Wife, Mother, Grandmother, author, podcaster, website designer, blogger, housekeeper, church member, caregiver. The list goes on and on. I bet you have a similar list. In my get-it-done, planner mentality, sometimes I lose sight of the bigger picture. I trade time with the Father for a checked-off to-do list. It often takes me crashing from fatigue, stress, and burnout to stop and realize I’ve quit talking to God and moved way ahead of His plan.

Prayer, communication is my means to sanity once again. Why pray?

We live in a fallen world, full of potholes and the snares of the enemy. If we don’t take time for God, we can’t know which path to follow for safety.
Struggles within. Shame, defeat, sin, failure. Time spent with God puts the inner life into perspective once again.
Struggles without. War, sickness, finances, weather. Time spent with God can help with decision-making in a world where so many voices vie for our attention.
Family, friends, community, nation, world. Needs are everywhere.

Because we live in a fallen world, have struggles within and without, and intercede for others, prayer is vital. But essential as these reasons are, the absolute main reason we pray is:

Relationship.

We need a close connection with God and that comes from time spent talking and listening. The same way we build and keep any relationship with others.

The longer I live, the more desperate I become to hear His voice, follow His ways, and work by His side. I talk, listen, love, and accept the Fathers’ love for me. All through prayer.

The apostle Paul, in the New Testament, writes a letter to the people of Philippi. In the fourth chapter, verses six and seven, he gives us a powerful thought on this subject:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” NKJV

What does Paul say prayer does? It helps with anxiety by giving peace no matter how difficult situations or people can be and guarding our hearts and minds.

Jesus gives us the ultimate example in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is in the darkest hour leading up to the crucifixion. He goes to a solitary location and places His life into the hands of His Father by praying. He asks for the Father’s will instead of His own. I love the fact that God cared enough for us to give us the Bible, full of instances of prayer like this one. Stories about a wide variety of people praying for various reasons.

If Jesus took the time often to pray, we should too. So, let’s go to Him now:

Father God, thank you for Your Son and Your Word and the way they show us by example the importance of prayer. Help us fight against the busyness that seeks to overwhelm us. We want to accept your invitation to sit at Your feet, listen, and learn. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.

Communication is necessary for a vibrant relationship with God. Join me over the next four weeks as we learn about prayerful situations: specific prayer...