Why I Don’t Pray - a Look at the Importance of Prayer

As Christians what are we called to do on a daily basis that we often fail to do?

No, not that.

No, not that either. That's an issue for another day.

No, what I’m talking about is prayer.

The Bible drops a hint or two or maybe a few thousand hints about the importance of everyday prayer. In fact Jesus is recorded 25 times praying to his own father.

Here are just a few examples from the New Testament alone:

• Matthew 11:25 - "At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children.”
• John 12:28 - "Father, glorify your name!"
• • Luke 18:1 – “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”

The Apostles in their letter called on Jesus’ followers to pray.

• Romans 8:26 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for…”
• James 4:2b – “You do not have because you do not ask God

And of course, verses like 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (“pray without ceasing”) and Matthew 7:7–11 (“ask, and it will be given to you”) highlight its spiritual necessity

So you see prayer isn’t just a spiritual discipline—it’s a relational heartbeat. It’s a communication with God. When Paul urges believers in Romans 12:12 to “be constant in prayer,” he’s not prescribing a ritual; he’s inviting us into rhythm. A rhythm of hope, endurance, and communion. Just as blood sustains the body, prayer sustains the soul—it carries our joys, our wounds, our questions, and our worship into the presence of God

But here’s the problem: many of us, including me, whom have a heartfelt sincere faith, and know we should be continuously in prayer find ourselves remaining silent. Why? Here are several reason.

• Doubt may whisper, “Is God really listening?”
• Distraction may shout, “There’s no time!”
• Disappointment may remind us, “Well He didn’t answer our last prayer”
• Discouragement may sigh, “I don’t even know what to say.”
• And self debate may say, “Don’t treat God like a vending machine.”

These barriers aren’t just obstacles—they’re invitations. Each one reveals a deeper spiritual need which needs to be dealt with

• Doubt calls for us to a renewed trust and faith in God
• Distraction signals a need for us to seek out a sacred space where we can intentionality enter into prayer.
• Disappointment invites us to speak honestly with God in order to
• Discouragement beckons us to lean into grace and be reminded we’re not alone.
• Self - debate needs to learn if you don’t ask you won’t receive.

Prayer, then, becomes more than words—it becomes a mirror showings us all our spiritual wrinkles which need to be ironed out. It shows us where we are, what we long for, and how deeply we need God’s presence. And the beauty? God doesn’t require eloquence. He desires honesty. Even a sigh, a tear, or a whispered “help” is enough to draw heaven’s attention.

Once I understood why I was not praying like I should I did what I always do when I want to learn what God calls me to do. I turned to the Bible and did a word study on prayer. After carefully looking at a number of verses I came up with 9 reasons about the importance of having a daily prayer life. I know there are more.

1. Prayer Helps Me Draw Nearer to God

Prayer is intimate communication. Like any relationship, closeness grows through consistent, honest conversation. (Psalm 145:18)

2. My Prayers to God Help Build My Spiritual Strength

Prayer equips us to face trials, resist temptation, and walk in faith with endurance in good and bad times. (James 5:13)

3. I Need to Pray to God For His Guidance

Through prayer, we seek wisdom and clarity for life’s decisions. God promises to reveal “remarkable secrets” when we ask (Jeremiah 33:3)

4. Prayer Helps Me to Heal and Restores My Soul

Prayer is a channel for my emotional, physical, and spiritual healing (James 5:15–16)

5. It is God’s Will That I Pray

Jesus prayed to remain in the Father’s will. We follow His example to stay aligned with divine purpose. (Luke 5:16).

6. Prayer Helps Me Strengthen My Faith

A consistent prayer life reinforces my trust in God’s promises and presence, especially in those times of uncertainty. (James 1:5-7)

7. In Times of Trouble Prayer Offers Me Peace and Comfort

In times anxiety or grief, prayer becomes a refuge for me - a place to lay my burdens and receive His peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:6–7)

8. I’m Called to Pray For Others

Prayer allows me to serve others spiritually, lifting their needs before God and participating in His work. It helps me to realize life is not always just about me. (Ephesians 6:18)

9. Prayer is Part of My Gratitude to and Worship of God

Prayer isn’t just asking—it’s thanking, praising, and remembering God’s goodness. It’s an integral part of worship. (Psalm 95:6)

While these are 9 reasons I found for myself I’m positive they’d be the same or similar reasons you’d come up with if you thought long and hard about your need to pray more.

A side note: in the Old Testament some of the words translated as prayer come from Hebrew word for prayer tefillah (תפילה), which means an introspection, self-judgment, and bonding with God. In the New Testament the word translated as prayer may come from the Greek word proseuche which means "towards" or "before," conveying a sense of closeness and direct approach to God. When you look at the origin of our translated words they many times take on a whole new contex.

Here are some questions I’ve wrestled with in the past about my prayer life. If you’re like me these are questions you also need to ask yourself. Be honest when answering the questions because your answers,

First and foremost, align with where your heart is at when it comes to your prayer life.

Secondly, it will show you the areas you need to improve when it comes prayer.

1. What emotions or thoughts come up when you think about prayer?

2. Have I ever felt like my prayers weren’t heard? How did that affect my desire to pray?

3. What do I think God desires most from us in prayer—words, honesty, consistency?

Finally, one last thing you can do is take a few minutes to write a short letter to God in your prayer journal beginning with:

“Lord, here’s why I haven’t been praying…”

Be honest. Then, read it aloud as your pray the letter to God.

I want to leave you with this short encouragement. Remember God isn’t waiting to scold you—He’s waiting to meet you. Prayer isn’t about performance; it’s about presence. Even a sigh, a whisper, or a tear can be a prayer.