We need to combine formal prayers with action prayers. It is ideal that we start our prayers by reading from the Bible, especially the Psalms and the Gospels and liturgical prayers are also essential for the Christian prayer life. Talking to God in our own words, praising him, thanking him and presenting our needs to him transform our whole life into prayer. We should perfect our prayer by bringing ourselves before God’s presence during our work week by offering up to him all we are and all we have.

This will help us to bring all our successes and failures, joys and sorrows, highs and lows to God in prayer. This type of prayer life enables us to pray always and pray with constancy and trusting perseverance.

We should not expect God to answer prayer according to what we think we need. This parable does not suggest God will guarantee whatever we want whenever we want it in the form we ask.

To make our prayers effective, we do not have to nag God. Long, meaningless prayers, although a natural expression of our misery, should not be used as bargaining chips with God.

The parable teaches that our prayers do not change God’s will, instead, they bring our minds into line with his purposes. Persistent prayer, continuing conversation with God, reshapes our hearts to God’ s original design.

Such prayer does not change God; instead, it changes us. Only God sees the whole, and therefore only God knows what is good for us in the long run. That is why Jesus said we must never be discouraged in prayer. Instead we have to leave the answer to God’s decision praying, “Thy will be done.”