There I stood in the kitchen asking myself, “Why on earth do I pray?”

The question came to mind after a conversation with a friend. She was searching for answers and now I found myself doing the same. My search led me to a conversation with God, which immediately left me with several answers. 

As our conversation continued throughout the morning the reasons became so numerous, I put pen to paper to make a list to help me remember so that the next time this question bubbled up inside of me, I could remind my heart again. 

I pray because:

• God offers a listening ear
• I seek to gain Godly wisdom
• It releases my fear and anxieties
• It helps me acknowledge my Lord 

I pray for help.
I pray to repent.
I pray to follow my example, Jesus. 

One of the most intriguing things about Jesus to me is that He prayed. The scriptures tell us that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16 NIV) As I look at the example of Christ, removing himself from crowds to draw near to the Father, I want to do the same. At the request of the disciples, Jesus taught his closet followers to pray. Today, we can open our bibles to this teaching in Matthew 6 and follow his example. 

 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Matthew 6:5-6 NIV

My list continued with two more reasons for praying here on earth: 

I pray here on earth to commune with my Father in Heaven. 
I pray simply because I need Him, and prayer is where I find Him. 

Often my words are few, but I am learning that my silence is made for listening, and my groans are met by the Spirit. When we come to God in prayer, we can trust that God sees our heart’s position, and because He does, we can trust He knows the longings of our hearts. 

We do many things here on earth while awaiting our time in heaven, prayer is one thing we are invited to do until our Savior comes again or brings us home. 

What are the reasons you pray? How has prayer helped you? Share with us in the comments below.

Jodie Barrett is a girl who loves Jesus and sharing His Word. She is passionate about helping other women discover the treasure of God’s word and encouraging them to move into a close relationship with Jesus. Jodie is the author of Jingle and Joy, Praying Beneath the Tree, and a ministry leader with Faithfully Following Ministries.

To connect with Jodie visit www.FaithfullyFollowingMinisries.org or on Facebook at @FaithfullyFollowingMinistries and Instagram at @faithful2follow