I've asked this question way too many times. I grew up surrounded by prayer, at the dinner table, at sporting events, at awards assemblies.

But I still didn't get the point of prayer. That's a bold and blunt statement but it's true. I didn't get why we pray for the hurricane that will probably still come and destroy a lot of homes, or for the relative that's really sick. I thought, "God knows what will happen and has a bigger plan, so why does he need my input?"

We live in a society so saturated with prayer that I think we sometimes fail to realize that it is much more than "I'll keep you in my prayers" or a hashtag.

But just think about it. How cool is it that we as followers of Jesus have complete, direct access to the creator of the universe? This is what we get to do through prayer, and that is not something to be taken lightly.

So in my truest, messiest fashion, I'm informally listing/rambling below all of the things I've learned/been learning about prayer over the past year/month/last week probably.

You don't have to censor your prayers for God.

Your prayers don't have to be long and eloquent and filled with pretty words and sound religious. It's okay that your prayers don't sound like your pastor's or like whatever hip Christian podcast you listen to. Don't feel like you for some reason have to hide your feelings for fear of somehow disappointing or upsetting God. When we think of Psalms I think we only think of long poetic praises to God, when actually so many of them are nothing more than desperate cries for God from ordinary human people like you and me. So He can handle whatever words you have for him, I promise.

Psalm 17:4 says, "I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God." And this is the simple truth. God hears you. I'll say that again.

God hears them. Every. Single. Prayer.

This being said...

Just because God may not give you the answer you want doesn't mean you shouldn't pray to Him.

As always, Jesus is a perfect example (figuratively and literally lol). Hebrews 5:7 says this,

"In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence."

I want you to notice two things from this.

1. As I've already said, God listens to our every prayer.

2. Just because God hears your prayers does not mean he will give you exactly what you ask for.

Look at the verse again. It doesn't say, "and God gave to Jesus everything he desired" Think about, with the son of God dying on a cross. Jesus did not exactly want to suffer a horrible death, and so he expressed these feelings to God. But his prayers didn't stop him from the crucifixion.

Stop saying "I'm praying for you" and start actually praying for people.

I know that was harsh, but just know I'm talking to myself just as much as I am to you here. How much more time would we spend in prayer and in a relationship with God, and how much more love would we show others if we actually prayed for people when we say we will. Not to mention God works through prayer in ways we can never imagine (see the end for more on this one!).

Prayer is one of the best ways to grow closer to God.

Again I turn to Jesus. Because Jesus probably didn't need to be in constant prayer and communication with God. But he chose to be. There are multiple instances of Jesus praying and crying out to The Lord in the bible during his life on earth. When Jesus goes through something hard, like the death of John the Baptist in Matthew 14 or later as he sees the death he must endure, the Bible shows him getting alone to be with his Lord and Father.

Now if Jesus, who saw all that would happen and was given authority on earth to work miracles, required praying to God, how much more do we need it?

You know sometimes when you're really upset about something, and then you talk to someone about it, and it just feels so good to get it all off your chest and into the open? I think that's a little how prayer works too. Often when I am praying about something I am frustrated or upset about, about halfway through I feel overwhelmed with a sense of peace and comfort, not because I have all the answers now, but because I've given it into the hands of my Heavenly father who does.

So yeah, sometimes it will seem like your prayers are pointless. Pray anyway. The enemy will try to convince you that praying is not essential because he knows how much you really need it.

Don't underestimate God.

This is something I did for so long without even realizing it. I think of how often I've thought to myself, "It's not like God could do anything about it anyways..."I think a lack of prayer ultimately comes down to a lack of faith - we underestimate God and his power over whatever thing we are praying for.

I love the Message version of Psalm 36:5-6.

"God's love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, his purpose titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost. Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks."

This is the God we serve. A God who is in control of the entire world, of every storm, every tragedy, every good and bad day, and every human. God is over it all and He is working and moving all things for His good. He is capable of all things, and it's about time me and you started praying to Him like He is.

Start praying with the belief and expectation that God is able to answer your prayers, and to sustain and provide you with everything you need.

God is bigger and greater than my words could even try to describe. Yet He loves us and He hears our prayers. He listens like a patient father to every thought and desire of our heart. And he is mightier and able to do more than we could even begin to imagine.

So pray big prayers. Pray any prayer you can. Believe in the power of prayer, because it is every bit as powerful as God Himself.

He hears you. He has heard you all along.

He's listening now.