Choose Prayer, Not DespairSample

What Is Prayer, and Why Is It Important?

For most of my teenage years, I didn’t fully understand the power of prayer or how it could impact my life.

I believed in Jesus, went to church every Sunday, and prayed occasionally, but my prayers were inconsistent and mostly reserved for times when I needed something from God. While there’s nothing wrong with seeking God’s help—He invites us to bring our needs to Him—prayer is meant to be so much more than a list of requests. It’s an invitation to build a relationship, to connect deeply with our Creator.

My perspective on prayer shifted profoundly when I was eighteen. I made a commitment to pray every day—not just to ask for things, but to truly get to know God. I wanted to talk to Him as a friend, to invite Him into my life, and to get to know Him more personally. Like any meaningful relationship, this required time, effort, and patience. I started talking to God whenever I had a free moment—in the early mornings, during my commute to college, or in quiet breaks throughout the day.

My focus wasn’t on getting something but on sharing my heart with Him.

This daily commitment was life-changing. As I spent more time in prayer, I began to trust God more, finding peace in knowing I could turn to Him whenever I felt overwhelmed or uncertain. Over time, my prayer life became the foundation of my relationship with Him, guiding my choices, actions, and sense of peace. To this day, prayer remains the essential practice that brings me closer to God.

What Is An “Effective Prayer”?

An effective prayer life isn’t about receiving everything we ask for; it’s rooted in aligning ourselves with God’s will and seeking His presence above all else. True prayer invites us to come before God with faith, humility, and consistency, producing fruit for His glory. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and give us abundant life—this includes the fruit of the Spirit, provision, physical, mental, and emotional healing.

In this reading plan, I share several core elements that define an effective prayer life.