The comments made by Samuel, Teresa, and Magdalene show that people pray for a wide range of reasons, some more noble than others. Some people’s prayers are heartfelt; others’ prayers are almost devoid of any personal touch. Nevertheless, whether they pray to pass examinations at school or pray for their favorite sports team to win, for God’s guidance in their family life, or for a multitude of other reasons, hundreds of millions feel the need to pray. In fact, surveys show that even some with no religious affiliation pray regularly.

Do you pray? If so, what do you pray for? Whether you are in the habit of praying or not, you may wonder: ‘Does it really do any good to pray? Is anyone listening?’ One writer expressed the view that prayer is just “a form of therapy . . . like talking to your pet fish.” Some medical authorities have a similar view, calling prayer a form of “alternative medicine.” Are people who pray just going through a meaningless exercise or, at best, getting some therapeutic benefit from the practice?

In contrast, the Bible presents prayer as much more than just a form of therapy. It tells us that someone really is listening to prayers that are made in the right way and for the right things. Is this true? Let us look at the evidence.

Some people feel that prayer is just a waste of time, that no one is listening. Others have tried to pray but feel that they got no answer. One atheist conjured up an idea of what he imagined God to be and then prayed: “Just give me a little whisper.” But he said that God maintained “stately silence.”

Yet, the Bible assures us that there is a personal God and that he does hear prayers. The Bible records this statement to a people long ago: “He [God] will surely show you favor at the sound of your cry for help; he will answer you as soon as he hears it.” (Isaiah 30:19) Another Bible verse says: “The prayer of the upright is a pleasure to Him.”​—Proverbs 15:8.

The Bible also recounts examples of those whose prayers were heard. One verse says that Jesus offered up “petitions . . . to the One who was able to save him” and that “he was favorably heard.” (Hebrews 5:7) Other examples can be found at Daniel 9:21 and 2 Chronicles 7:1.

Why, then, do some people feel that their prayers are not answered? To be heard, we must pray only to the God of the Bible, Jehovah,a not to any other god or to ancestors. God also requires that we “ask according to his will”​—for things he approves of. God assures us that if we pray in this way, “he hears us.” (1 John 5:14) So, for our prayers to be heard, we need to get to know the God of the Bible and learn what his will is.

Many people believe that prayer is not just a religious exercise but that God does listen to prayers and answers them. Isaac, from Kenya, says: “I prayed for help to understand the Bible. Soon afterward, someone approached me and offered the help I needed.” In the Philippines, Hilda wanted to quit smoking. After repeated failures, her husband suggested, “Why not pray to God for help?” She applied the advice and says: “I was amazed at how He helped me. It was as if I began to lose my desire to smoke. I was able to stop.”

Might God be interested in helping you with your personal concerns that are in harmony with his will?

God extends his hand of friendship.

Friends communicate with each other to cultivate a good relationship. Likewise, God invites us to talk to him, opening the way for a warm friendship. He says: “You will call me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:12) As you speak to God, you will “draw close to [him], and he will draw close to you.” (James 4:8) The Bible assures us: “Jehovah is near to all those calling on him.” (Psalm 145:18) The more we pray to him, the more our friendship with God will flourish.

God wants to help you.

Jesus said: “Which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will hand him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not hand him a serpent, will he? Therefore, if you . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him!” (Matthew 7:9-11) Yes, God invites you to pray because “he cares for you” and wants to help you. (1 Peter 5:7) He even invites you to go to him with your problems. The Bible tells us: “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God.”​—Philippians 4:6.

Humans have a spiritual need.

Experts on human nature have observed that hundreds of millions of people feel a need to pray. Even some atheists and agnostics are included in this number.a This attests to the fact that humans were created with a spiritual need. Jesus said: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.” (Matthew 5:3) One way we can fill that need is by regularly communicating with God.

If we accept God’s invitation to pray to him, what benefits may we expect?

Before you embark on any endeavor, you might naturally wonder, ‘What’s in it for me?’ Is it selfish, though, to ask this about prayer? Not necessarily. We naturally want to know whether it does any good. Even the good man Job once asked: “If I call out to him, will he answer me?”​—Job 9:16.

In the preceding articles, we considered evidence that prayer is far more than a religious routine or a type of mental therapy. The true God really does listen to prayer. If we pray in the right way and for the proper things, he will pay attention. In fact, he urges us to draw close to him. (James 4:8) So, what can we expect if we make prayer a part of our life? Let us look at just some of the benefits.

Peace of mind.

When problems and challenges arise in your life, do you feel overwhelmed with anxiety? The Bible encourages us to “pray constantly” at times like these and to let our “petitions be made known to God.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Philippians 4:6) The Bible assures us that if we turn to God in prayer, “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard [our] hearts and [our] mental powers.” (Philippians 4:7) We can gain a measure of tranquillity by pouring out our concerns to our heavenly Father. In fact, he encourages us to do so. “Throw your burden on Jehovah, and he will sustain you,” says Psalm 55:22.

Countless people the world over have experienced this peace. Hee Ran, from South Korea, says: “Even though I have serious problems, once I pray about them, I feel relieved of the burden and I feel I have the power to endure.” Cecilia, in the Philippines, relates: “Being a mother, I worry a lot about my daughters and my mother, who is now unable to recognize me. But because of prayer, I am able to go about my daily life with fewer worries. I know that Jehovah will help me to take care of them.”

Comfort and strength when facing trials.

Are you facing extreme stress, perhaps even life-threatening or tragic circumstances? Praying to “the God of all comfort” can bring immense relief. The Bible says that he “comforts us in all our trials.” (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4) For instance, on one occasion when Jesus was greatly distressed, “he bent his knees and began to pray.” The result? “An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.” (Luke 22:41, 43) Another faithful man, Nehemiah, suffered threats from evil people who tried to stop him from doing God’s work. He prayed: “Now, I pray, strengthen my hands.” The subsequent events show that God really did help him to rise above his fears and to succeed in his work. (Nehemiah 6:9-16) Reginald, in Ghana, describes his experience with prayer: “When I pray, especially in times of overwhelming difficulties, I get a feeling of having told my problem to someone who has the means to help me and who assures me that there is no cause for alarm.” Yes, God can comfort us when we pray to him.

Wisdom from God.

Some decisions we make can permanently affect us and our loved ones. How can we make wise choices? The Bible says: “If any one of you is lacking in wisdom [especially in dealing with trials], let him keep asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5) If we pray for wisdom, God can use his holy spirit to guide us to make wise decisions. In fact, we can specifically ask for holy spirit because Jesus assures us that “the Father in heaven [will] give holy spirit to those asking him!”​—Luke 11:13.

Even Jesus felt the need to ask his Father for help when making important decisions. The Bible tells us that when he wanted to select the 12 men who would serve as his apostles, “he spent the whole night in prayer to God.”​—Luke 6:12.

Like Jesus, many today have been reassured when they have seen how God has responded to their requests for help in making wise decisions. Regina, in the Philippines, tells of the various problems she has faced, such as supporting herself and her family after the death of her husband, losing a job, and experiencing difficulty in raising children. What has helped her to make wise decisions? She says, “I depend on Jehovah’s help through prayer.” Kwabena, in Ghana, tells why he asked for God’s help, “I lost my well-paying job in construction.” About considering his options, he says, “I consistently prayed to Jehovah for guidance in making the right decision.” He adds, “I feel strongly that Jehovah helped me to choose a career that enables me to care for my spiritual and physical needs.” You too can experience God’s guidance by praying about matters that could affect your relationship with him.

We have mentioned just a few things that prayer can do for you. (For more examples, see the box “Benefits of Prayer.”) But for you to get these benefits, you need first to get to know God and his will. If that is what you want, we encourage you to ask Jehovah’s Witnesses to help you study the Bible.a This can be your first step in drawing closer to the “Hearer of prayer.”​—Psalm 65:2.