Day 4: Why pray if God already knows everything about me?
“Search me, O God and know my heart!” Psalm 139:3
People have wrestled with this question throughout the ages but the answer can be a simple one. He just wants to hear from us. He is like a parent who knows what’s wrong with their child but still wants him or her to trust them enough to share. When you tell God what you need or what’s going on in your life, you open yourself up to receiving comfort from him and a fresh sense of who he is.
Yet even though God is all-powerful, we still have free will to choose. God is not a dictator but a Father. Throughout the bible, we see God constantly giving human beings choices. He have Adam and Eve a choice to obey or disobey. He gave Abraham a choice to follow him or not. He gave the people of Israel countless choices to repent to keep living in sinful ways. He gives us the choice to accept him or turn away from him.
So when we pray we first ask that God’s will can be accomplished in our lives. And YES, we can ask for doors to be opened that are closed, we can ask healing that is needed and blessings that we cannot receive unless we ask because God who is gracious is the giver of good things.
But his goal is really about changing us.
Questions to ponder:
- Do you find it difficult to pray when you know God already knows everything about you? Why or why not?
- In what ways do you experience comfort and a fresh sense of who God is when you open up to him in prayer?
Pray:
Take a moment to express your gratitude to God for his desire to hear from you and his willingness to listen to your prayers. Ask him to help you trust him enough to share your deepest thoughts, needs, and desires. Pray for the willingness to align your will with his and to be open to the changes he wants to bring about in your life.
