Prayer is a beautiful thing. It’s how we connect to our creator and draw near to him. But prayer can also be exhausting. Especially when you’ve prayed for a particular situation for a long time and there is still no breakthrough. You may start to wonder, “Why bother?”, “Will it ever change?”, “Does God even hear me?”

Yet Scripture reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Always be joyful and never stop praying.” Never stop praying even when you’re weary, disappointed, and disillusioned. Never stop praying even when your words have grown brittle and cold from years of praying.

No matter what, keep praying. Today if you’re struggling to find motivation to pray, here are some things to remember about the beauty of prayer.

3 Reasons to Keep Praying

1. Prayer changes you. When we pray, we come closer to the heartbeat of God. He becomes the focus of our prayer and not us. Prayer reorients our desires and transforms us. Richard Foster, famous author, said “To pray is to change.” “So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord’s Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18 (CEV)
2. Prayer tests your faith. God knows what you need before you pray it. When you pray, it reminds you that he is the source of all your needs. Delayed answers teach us to trust the giver and not just hope for the gift. “You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.” – James 1:3-4 (CEV)
3. Prayer allows the power of God in our lives. We may not always get the answer we desire but prayer brings peace, power, strength, and comfort. When we give up on prayer, we forfeit the blessings of God’s presence and power at work in our lives “May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13 (GNT)