Jesus kind of opened a can of worms when he said this during the sermon on the mount: "When you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6:7-8)
You can't really blame anybody for hearing that and then asking...
If God already knows everything, why do we need to tell him ANYthing?
I am encouraged in the midst of this by thinking about Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane before his arrest. Jesus was dreading the torture and isolation ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?") that was just around the corner. He fervently prayed for it not to happen. And yet, he knew that it was for this very purpose that he left his home in heaven, emptied himself of his godly rights and privileges, and took on the fullness of humanity's limitations and challenges.
He poured out all his anxiety from the deepest part of his heart until he was able to say "yet not as I will, but as you will."
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Truth is...A lot of the time, prayer is more about changing us than changing God. If I go to God with a request, it's because I know I am incapable of making the request happen on my own. Prayer is a reminder that It's Not All About Me.
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