We have a special privilege to go to God in prayer to receive the comfort we need when comfort is needed and to have faith and hope when waiting for God to help us. God encourages us to pray although he knows our needs before we pray. In this we understand that prayer is for our benefit not God’s benefit. When we earnestly pray our cares are lifted or partially lifted. And over time if we continue to pray we can expect full relief. Prayer also gives us confidence to push onward even when it looks dim. Prayer helps us to look through the eyes of faith and trust God. Prayer is the way God has chosen to help us find comfort and confidence.
One Church Father wrote that “It is indeed superfluous to bring arguments before God, for the purpose of persuading Him to grant us what we ask; but still He permits us to make use of them, and to speak to him in prayer, as familiarly as a son speaks to His earthly father. It should always be observed, that the use of praying is, that God may be the witness of our affections; not that our needs and requests are hidden from Him but when we pour out our hearts before Him our cares are greatly lightened and our confidence of obtaining our request increases.”