Prayer

So, I've had a really hard time with prayer for the past year. I mean, we're told that God is the divine eaves dropper, and that he knows our every thought/need/prayer. So what's the point in actually saying it out loud?

I also had a problem with praying for the wellness of people. I mean, thy will be done right? Just because 100 of us prayed for someone to be cured, does that really mean that they are going to be cured because so many people prayed for it? What if only 5 people prayed for it? Does that mean it wont get "passed"?

Prayer has been so confusing and so frustrating for me for a while... I could probably bring up more questions I had, but I can't remember them all now...

NOW - I absolutely love prayer. I love to pray after every bible study, during church on Sunday for "prayers of the people". I pray OUT LOUD pretty much every time. It's like the words just vomit out of my mouth.

But more than just church settings... I pray when I'm walking alone. I lean on God when times are good, and try to when times are bad... I pray at night before bed. I pray in the morning when I wake up... I pray constantly it seems.

The best part of it, is it isn't a chore. It isn't something I check off on my daily "To Do" list. It just happens, and I don't stop it ;)

I guess I've come to realize (thanks to the help of Pastor Dave and Kacey Hahn) that prayer isn't just to let God know what's up, because he already knows...

Prayer for me is a release of a burden, a shout of thanksgiving, a plea for help, and much much more. It's a time for me to "sort things out". A time for me to shut up and listen. A time for me to really care about others and practice loving them, and wanting the best for them.

It's still kind of confusing, and I can't completely wrap my mind around it, but what I know is I can't stop doing it...