WHAT IS PRAYER?
Prayer is the elevation of the mind and heart to God in praise, thanksgiving, and petition for the spiritual and material goods we need. Prayer is doxology, praise, thanksgiving, confession, supplication, and intercession to God. When we pray, we develop a relationship with God, who is the source of all goodness and blessings.
We feel alive, refreshed, and renewed every time we pray to God. Prayer is like breathing. Physically we cannot live without air for a long time. In the same way, we cannot live spiritual lives if we do not talk to God through our prayers. Through prayer, we develop a loving communion with God. Prayer becomes a personal dialogue with God, a spiritual breathing of the soul, a foretaste of the bliss of God’s kingdom.
When we pray, we know that we are standing in God’s presence. We are constantly aware that He is everywhere around us. Prayer is essential to the Christian life. Jesus Christ himself prayed and taught men to pray. One who does not pray to God cannot be a follower of Christ. 
WHY DO WE PRAY?
- We pray because Jesus Christ asks us to pray. He tells us in the Gospel of Luke how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13). We pray so that God can help us to become more like Him in our actions.
- We pray for the renewal and growth of our soul.
- We pray to give thanks to God for all he provides for us.
- We pray to seek forgiveness for our sinfulness as humility is a prerequisite for prayer.
- We pray to seek help for others as well as ourselves.
- We pray to draw nearer to God
We should try to make our lives a continuous prayer. The Bible calls on us to pray all the time. Here are the Scripture references to this idea.
- Pray without ceasing (1Thess 5:17)
- Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (Eph 6:158)
- He spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1)
God intends our life to become one of a constant prayer where we are continually in a relationship with Him. To draw nearer to God is our main task. How do we do this? Saint Isaac of Syria reminds us that it is impossible to draw near to God by any means other than unceasing prayer.
WHAT IS ESSENTIAL DURING PRAYER?
Patience
Patience is a significant part of a prayer, and we must wait patiently for our prayer to be answered. Sometimes God will come out quickly to meet our prayer, and sometimes He will hesitate a little to see if we are persistent and patient in our prayers.
Effort
An effort is another crucial thing of a fruitful prayer, and we must actively participate in worship. Prayer is not static but active action. We do not practice prayer from time to time, but every day, it needs to become a part of our daily lives. Of course, this takes effort and action which involves a strong will and desire to pray.
Honesty
Being honest is one of the most critical things while praying. God already knows what we need and when we need it. We must understand what an acceptable prayer to God is. For example, we cannot ask God to help us with an exam if we have not studied and prepared for that exam. God is Almighty, and He can do that, but that is not honest on our part. However, we can sincerely and fervently pray to God to give us good health and a clear mind to better understand the lesson we are learning.
Hope and Faith
Hope and Faith are also needed in prayer because by praying to God and asking Him for the forgiveness of sins, we believe and hope that He will truly fulfill our request. Our God forgives everyone only if we turn to Him in time and with a pure heart.
Tears
Is it okay to cry when we pray? The most common form of prayer is when we pray that God forgives our sins and the various transgressions we have committed. Just as we sometimes cry in front of our parents to forgive us for our wrongdoings, promising them that something like this will not happen again, we should pray even more before God, regretting in our hearts that we have committed sin and transgression. If we shed tears during prayer, that shows how much we feel sorry that we offended God through our wrongful actions and deeds.