What Prayer Means to Me

By Susie Frederick

Prayer is one-half of my communication with God. He speaks to me through His word, the Bible, and I speak to Him through prayer. The fact that the communication goes both ways gives me great comfort. Either one without the other would not be nearly as helpful.

When I pray, I do not need to pretend, or try to impress anyone. God already knows the secrets of my heart, so I am not afraid that He will think less of me when I confess my sins and ask forgiveness.

When I am lonely, God is with me just waiting to listen to me. The promise God gave to Joshua is also given to us: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5; see Josh. 1:5). He never fails to hear, and He always has advice and comfort waiting for me in His word.

One thing I must pray about often is wisdom. I know that God will always grant that request. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting…” (James 1:5-6). It is frightening to think how many more mistakes I would make without that help.

Sometimes I have especially challenging situations facing me, and I do not even know what to say to God. But the Spirit communicates, to God the Father, things which I can find no words to express. We are told in Rom. 8:26-27, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Because of the Bible, I know that I can pray about everything that concerns me. I praise God and thank Him for blessings I have received, and ask for blessings I think I need. God’s wisdom and power are infinite, and I know that He loves me with perfect love. So I can be confident that if I pray that His will be done, He will bless me with the best answer to my prayer. It may not be the answer I was hoping for, but it will be the best answer. And that gives me the most comfort of all.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21).