Why God Speaks
“Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” – Psalm 139:4
If God already knows everything—our thoughts, our needs, our fears, our desires—why pray at all? Doesn’t it seem redundant? Pointless, even?
This is one of the most common questions among believers who are genuinely trying to reconcile God’s omniscience with the purpose of prayer. And it’s an important one—because unless we understand the why behind prayer, we’ll struggle to stay consistent in the how.
Let’s explore three powerful reasons why we pray, even when God already knows.
Prayer Is About Relationship, Not Just Requests
God is not a vending machine, and prayer isn’t just about getting answers—it’s about building intimacy.
Imagine a child who only talks to their parent when they want something. The parent may still provide what’s needed, but the relationship would be shallow and strained. God desires so much more than that with us. Prayer is an invitation to know Him, not just use Him.
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began with, “Our Father…”—not “Our Provider,” “Our Healer,” or “Our Fixer.” All of those titles are true of Him—but He leads with Father. Because prayer is first and foremost relational.
We don’t pray to inform God of something He doesn’t know—we pray to involve Him in our hearts and invite Him into our days.
Prayer Aligns Our Hearts with God’s Will
Prayer doesn’t change God—it changes us.
When we pray, especially when we pray honestly and often, something happens in our souls. We begin to surrender. Our wants begin to submit to His wisdom. Our reactions are tempered by His peace. We start to care about what He cares about.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus didn’t pray so the Father would know His pain—He prayed so He could align with the Father’s will. “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). That’s what prayer does—it softens our hearts and strengthens our obedience.
Even when the outcome doesn’t change, we do.
Prayer Is a Means of Participation in God’s Plan
In His sovereignty, God has chosen to involve us in His work through prayer. It’s not that God needs our prayers—it’s that He wants us to partner with Him. Prayer is the meeting place of heaven and earth, where divine power meets human faith.
James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Not because we manipulate outcomes, but because God designed prayer as a vehicle for change—both in us and around us.
He could act independently—but instead, He often waits for our agreement. Our intercession becomes the spark that ignites movement in the unseen realm. He calls us co-laborers for a reason.
When We Stop Praying, We Miss the Partnership
The enemy would love nothing more than to convince us prayer is a waste of time. That we’re just talking into the air. That nothing changes. But he knows the truth—and he fears a praying believer.
When we stop praying because “God already knows,” we miss the opportunity to walk closely with Him, to grow spiritually, and to be part of something much bigger than ourselves.
Prayer isn’t pointless—it’s powerful. Not because we control God, but because we commune with Him.
This is an excerpt from my book “Is That Really You God?” If you’d like to read more, buy it on Amazon.
