One Benefit of Prayer

Prayer itself is of great benefit to us, apart from whatever blessings God bestows in answer to our prayers.  David begins many of his psalms in great distress, crying out to God for mercy.  By the end, he is expressing a revived sense of trust in God by pouring out his heart in praise and thanksgiving.  Throughout the course of these psalms (e.g., Psalm 7, 10, 13, 28, 69) we can track the change taking place in David’s heart.  Through the act of prayer we see his fear and distress being transformed to courage and trust.  Sorrow gives way to joy.  The change is often profound, as if someone had come and told David that his troubles were completely gone.   Prayer is ordained by God to be a great relief as well as a source of blessing.