Several individuals are of the opinion that prayer is the primary means of getting closer to God. Prayer is very important. It is the way we address God, speak about our concerns and thank Him. The Bible tells us to pray. In the book of 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the Bible indicates, pray without ceasing. This demonstrates that we should incorporate prayer in our day to day lives. I experience hopefulness and calmness when I pray, as I am sure God is hearing me.
Prayer was taught by Jesus himself. Mathew 6: 6 tells us that He would not expect us to pray in front of others in order to impress them, but rather to speak frankly to God. Prayer assists in developing personal relationship with Him. It hardens the heart and makes us aware that we rely on God on all things. James 5:16 also mentions that the prayer of righteous man is mighty and effective. This informs us that prayer is indeed important.
Nevertheless, the Bible also preaches that it is not enough to pray. God does not want us to keep our prayers and actions out of sync. James 1:22 states, do not simply hear the word, and thus deceive yourself. Do what it says.” This implies that obedience is highly valued. I understand that I cannot pray and therefore forget about the teachings of God in my everyday life.
In Matthew 7: 21, Jesus expressly told me that not every person who tells me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, unless he does the will of my Father. This implies that it will not just take prayer but doing Gods will. To also get closer to God people can love others, live in a righteous manner and by doing it as God has commanded.
To sum it up, prayer is a powerful and beautiful place, but it has to be combined with obedience and truthful life. I feel that I am closer to God in a better and more significant way when I pray and strive to live by the word of God.
God bless his word
Amen