Why do people pray? What do they expect when they pray? When people pray, do they consider the condition of their own hearts or only what they desire to get from God? These questions will be addressed in the Explore the Bible Study: Clears.

Prayer is the one event that takes us into the very presence of God. Yet, praying can become a routine or a ritual. People often say things like, “I’m praying for you” in order to comfort someone, yet forget to pray for that person. We might publicly say that someone facing a tragedy is “in our thoughts and prayers.” In light of world events, we see social media posts encouraging everyone to pray.

Yet prayer is more than asking God to change our circumstances or meet someone’s needs. Prayer should lead us examine our own lives as we approach God with our requests. It’s through our prayers that we should realize our own shortcomings and sins. It’s through prayer that we should seek to remove any obstacles that might cause us to approach prayer with Holy God in a manner that is careless, arrogant, or selfish. 

Prayer must be for the right reasons and for the right motives and with the desire to completely leave the answer in God’s hands. This is the kind of faith one must learn to have when praying to God. If prayer is used to exploit others, for selfish gain, or with arrogant motives or harbored anger, then prayers will not reach the throne room of God. When prayers are lifted as we knowingly harbor unconfessed resentment or other sin in our lives, then we should not expect God to respond.

To pray effectively, one needs faith in God, not faith in the object of one’s request or the goal one wishes to achieve.

Jesus gave us an example as He was facing that grueling day on the cross. While in the garden He prayed, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36). May this be our prayer.

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LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources.