Why do we pray?

Answer 1

This is for the ones who do pray....... We pray because we realise that we do need to talk to God sometimes. We pray to thank God, to praise Him, to ask for favours and because we believe that God listens to us whenever we pray. For some it may be a habit, some do it because they are forced to but there are also those who find prayer very powerful in their lives.

Answer 2

Does Praying Do Any Good? :
- Why do People Pray?
- Does Anyone Hear Prayers?
- Are All Prayers Heard?
WHY Should You Pray?
- Prayer Can Solve Problems
- When All Prayers Will Be Answered
http://watchtower.org/e/20001115/article_01.htm

When we're happy, we ought to give thanks.
When frightened, we can ask to remain calm & reeasonable.
When depressed, we can ask for help.
When 'lost', we can ask for directions.

Answer 3

I think that people pray to find comfort in their life. It's like having a conversation with a good friend who who is always there not matter what. You could express your fear and hopes without having someone judge you. You ask questions and find peace with the answers. Just remember that if your prayer does not come true that it doesnt mean that theres no God. It's just that he said NO.

Answer 4

Well, I don't know who you are or what you believe. You are first level, and do not have anything to go by as to who "we" is.

I can tell you why I pray. Because I believe that God can hear me when I speak to Him. It can also accuratley be called and act of faith. Acts of faith are important for those who want a spiritual life with God-- a relationship.

I pray because of several reasons;
1) To stay in touch with God.
2) To ask God to change something or help someone.

Answer 5

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God" (St. John Damascene, De fide orth. 3, 24: PG 94, 1089C).


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God tirelessly calls each person to this mysterious encounter with Himself. Prayer unfolds throughout the whole history of salvation as a reciprocal call between God and man.


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The prayer of Abraham and Jacob is presented as a battle of faith marked by trust in God's faithfulness and by certitude in the victory promised to perseverance.


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The prayer of Moses responds to the living God's initiative for the salvation of his people. It foreshadows the prayer of intercession of the unique mediator, Christ Jesus.


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The prayer of the People of God flourished in the shadow of the dwelling place of God's presence on earth, the ark of the covenant and the Temple, under the guidance of their shepherds, especially King David, and of the prophets.


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The prophets summoned the people to conversion of heart and, while zealously seeking the face of God, like Elijah, they interceded for the people.


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The Psalms constitute the masterwork of prayer in the Old Testament. They present two inseparable qualities: the personal, and the communal. They extend to all dimensions of history, recalling God's promises already fulfilled and looking for the coming of the Messiah.


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Prayed and fulfilled in Christ, the Psalms are an essential and permanent element of the prayer of the Church. They are suitable for men of every condition and time.

Peace and every blessing!

Answer 6

Most people don't. Some suffer from delusional mental disorders. They lose touch with reality and believe that invisible things are watching them, listening to them and influence their lives. They prey to get in contact with these delusional things. Most of the time it is a benign disorder. If however it prevents them from functioning correctly or if it leads them to to dangerous acts for themselves or others then the disorder has evolved into a mental disease and treatment becomes urgent. For example if people pray instead of acting to change a bad situation.

Answer 7

Prayer is communication with the God who created us.

Some people claim to be atheist, until they are in deep trouble, and they pray. It's instinct - everyone is God conscious.

When you have committed your life to God, and are in relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, prayer is a natural part of that relationship.

Answer 8

religious people pray in order to gain God's favor...

Answer 9

For those that believe in a Creator of some kind, prayer is a form of acknowledgement, atonement (at-one-ment), of communication with the great beyond. There has become a tendency in modern times to view prayer as a form of whining about things we want changed in our lives.( I'm referring to things like "let me win the lottery", or expecting a good job to appear, without going to the steps to attain it, things like that, not things like asking a blessing on someone who is in real trouble, or asking for a solution to a problem.) In prayer, one can also offer Thanksgiving for those blessings we normally take for granted, and ask forgiveness (forgive ourselves as well, acknowledge mistakes, and learn from them to do better, and therefore offer better things to the Creator. To review our lives, and take stock of how we are living them, and promise ourselves, as well as God, to do better). One can also pray for the God of your personal understanding to reveal His/Her will to you, in order to better guide you on your way. You can look at this sort of information as coming directly from God, or from you inner self, either way, it all comes from the same source. Ultimately the reason why we pray, is to feel connected to the God of one's personal understanding, and feel we are in communion with Him/Her.

Answer 10

You are assuming all people pray. I don't.