You won't be surprised to hear that I have concluded that it does. It changes us first of all. It positions us to receive from God and to start thinking about His perspective on our problems. It causes us to pray as Jesus advised, 'Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in heaven'. It brings us to a place where we are God-dependent instead of self-reliant, where we own up to the fact that this thing called life is actually beyond us and that we can't do it alone.
But then it also does make a difference in our circumstances. Prayer moves the hand that moves the world, not because God is impotent unless we pray, but rather that in his power and sovereignty he has chosen that we should get involved in outcomes by our praying. 'Training for reigning' the writer Paul Bilheimer once called it. The Bible teaches that prayer has power to influence nations (2 Chron. 7:14 & 1 Tim. 2:1) so it should not be underestimated. Maybe sometimes we get the leaders and systems we deserve because we have not recognised or obeyed that imperative.
But I think above all prayer changes the spiritual climate around us. It creates an environment where God's Holy Spirit feels welcome and we can receive his loving thoughts towards us. For this reason prayer can be so much more than words. Like turning over in bed to cuddle the one you love, prayer can be re-positioning ourselves for intimacy with God. I was holding my little Pomeranian dog in my arms the other day, when she wasn't very well, and she was sitting heavily on me. At first I was tempted to put her down and hurry off but I sensed her need to draw strength from my warmth and feel my heartbeat. I enjoyed the closeness to her really. As I gently stroked her tiny head and ears I felt God whisper in mine - 'This is what prayer feels like for me!' Wow - if that is true, then prayer is certainly changing my view of prayer - if nothing else!
