Why Pray? Does it do anything?

Let’s begin to answer this question, first, with some questions.

Can you measure God? Can you scientifically record the speed at which angels fly? Can you find faith on a microscope, or an x-ray? Can you prove in a court of law that Jesus Christ exists? Do you have video of Jesus walking on water to prove it?

How about this: At this moment while you read this, if you are living in the United States, does China exist? How about Russia? How about Israel? Sure, you know they do. But if you haven’t ever been there, you are trusting someone else to tell you they do. For all you know someone in Hollywood may have created the images with CGI or sets and special effects and actors. Sounds absurd. But think about it.

We take many things for granted. In a way, you could say we practice faith every day in earthly things. No, not necessarily as if they are God or can help or save us. But things that go on which we cannot see and touch and experience we trust as true. Take that to even the practice of trust in earthly things, such as say you own a car. You figure it is outside parked at the moment. How do you know unless you can prove it? Or how about the sun rise? You go to bed tonight and don’t even think about whether the sun will be there in the morning. How do you know it will? A kind of faith, a belief in things that are in the physical world.

And we practice faith in supernatural things. Most believe in God, in angels, most people called Christians believe in Jesus. And these, Biblically, are facts. They cannot be tested by science, you could say. You can’t measure God, or record the speed of angels flying and so forth. But, faith is basically there most of the time regardless of doubts people have.

What is it about prayer though? Why do we sometimes wonder, why pray? Or, does prayer work? It is a faith issue. Just like the existence of God, or what we are told about in the Bible, from angels or to our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ, faith is required as to the very existence of the concept of “prayer.” And it is required to even bother.

The problem with prayer is the same problem with faith in God, in Jesus, his Word, salvation and in fact everything. At times doubt comes. People make testimonies all the time to us or we hear such at least about God and our Savior Jesus, and even all kinds of supposed supernatural events. We even hear people tell stories about prayers answered, or prayers NOT answered. And then, we have our own experiences.

All of the testimonies, even our own experiences, will not ultimately mean that we should pray or that it works, and it will not tell what it is. For instance, just because someone tells you they have been to China, that’s what they say, right? How do you know?! Ya, absurd. Same spiritual principles involved though. We doubt God, and we doubt prayer, and sometimes its something about God why we think prayer won’t be answered.

For instance, sometimes it is because of hurt that we don’t think prayer is worth it or that it works. A lot of times, way down inside in our secret heart of hearts we are really upset with God for what happened to us. This is temptation. Doubt is given us in temptation, just as the serpent did in the beginning by playing around with God’s Word. And the people believed the serpent instead of God. It tried to get them to figure God lied to them, and was may be jealous- not wanting them to be like God. So they ate the fruit.