There is always a textbook definition for everything, but prayer is something so special and personal that it can take on different meanings for different people. Today is the National Day of Prayer, and I got to thinking, what does prayer mean to me?

Prayer is something we do every day, and it’s so easy to slip into a pattern. I realized that a big reason why I’m praying is because it’s what I’m supposed to do, not because I’m wanting to commune with God. I think we have all been at that point in our spiritual lives where there is just so much going on that we forget how meaningful and special prayer is.

Right now, there is so much fear and uncertainty going on. COVID-19 is something no one has really experienced before in our lifetime or could’ve prepared for. No one knows exactly what to do, and things are changing every day. I felt scared to lose my job, scared for the health and well-being of my family and friends. I knew I had to keep praying and reading my scriptures, but I was letting the things of the world and my fear overtake that.

I would talk to my friends and family about my fears, but I didn’t pray (talk) to God about it. Then, I felt so overwhelmed and scared that I knew I had to cry out to God because nothing else was helping me. I prayed about everything that was bothering me and for other people’s needs. I put my whole faith and heart into that prayer, and I felt better. My fears were still there and everything didn’t magically go back to normal, but I knew God would take care of everything. I thank God for that experience.

Back to the question I asked: What does prayer me to me?

What prayer means to me is having time to spend time with God and showing God my faithfulness and need for Him in my life. That is something that is so special, and it makes me emotional just thinking about how much God does for me even though I don’t deserve it. We serve such a compassionate and loving God, and the fact that we can pray to Him and He listens blows my mind.

We all have our own individual relationship with God, and prayer helps us build upon that and brings us closer to God. If we didn’t have prayer, it would be so easy for us to be consumed by other things of life and let that relationship go by the wayside.

It’s also important to pray together as well. That’s why the National Day of Prayer is so important. It’s not just one person calling out to God; it’s a combination of voices asking God’s hand to move. It also brings all of us closer together by giving us all one thing we focus on.

Let’s pray for the health and well-being of our loved ones, church leaders, first responders, and government leaders. Pray for all of those who are sick, scared, or depressed, that they might be healed and feel God working in their lives and God’s love. Please try to reach out to one another, because it’s a scary time we are living in, and we need the love of God and the love of the brothers and sisters to help us get through all of this. I will be praying for all of you, and even though I might not know you personally or know all of your needs, God does.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.