Contemporary artist Crowder's radio single "Somebody Prayed" is one of my favorite songs on his latest album, The Exile, because it deals with prayer—one of my favorite topics—and answers a question many followers of Jesus wrestle with: Does prayer change things? 
 
"So I hit my knees 'cause I've seen all heaven move/(Don't matter if you hit rock bottom)/(My God pick you up when you call Him)/I pray, "Father, please" 'cause I've seen what He can do/(Don't matter if the storm cloud coming)/(My God come through when you call Him)/These hands have no power/But there ain't an hour He don't come through/That's why when mountains move, I say/"Looks like somebody prayed."

Prayer makes a difference.

"Every night there by your bed/You fold your hands and bow your head/Throwing out another prayer in faith/When you're wondering if He's hearing you/Look at me, I'm living proof/I'm only right where I am today/Because somebody prayed."

Some Christians ask, "If God is all-knowing and all-powerful and knows what's going to happen anyway, why would we pray?" Others say prayer is about God aligning our hearts with His and not changing our circumstances. Maybe you've faced delayed answers to prayer or outcomes different from what you hoped for, and you're convinced God hears other people's prayers but question whether your prayers make a difference. Those are all valid questions and feelings.

When we look at Scripture, the answer is an unequivocal yes. Through prayer, God changes our hearts; through prayer, God changes circumstances and impacts outcomes. Look at these incredible promises from the Bible on the topic of prayer:

James 5:16-18 (NLT): "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years. Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops."

1 John 5:14-15 (NLT): "And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know He will give us what we ask for."

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NLT): "I urge you, first, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them, intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. This is good and pleases God our savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

What's the takeaway? God calls His people to pray. God hears and answers our prayers when we ask for things that please Him. And God works in our lives and the world through the prayers of His people.

Be a person of prayer.

"I've seen miracles come from feeble words/I've seen hospital rooms turned into cathedrals/I've seen freedom come to the prisoner/You can't tell me that prayer don't work/So every night there by your bed/When you fold your hands and bow your head/Not a single word you've ever said in vain/'Cause He hears everything."

Based on God's promises, if we know that He hears and answers our prayers in ways that align with His will, then the next step is for us to commit ourselves to being people of prayer. We can look at the Bible and reflect on stories from our own lives when God has moved in powerful ways that made a difference in people's lives because "somebody prayed." And that "somebody" can be you, too. God wants to work through your prayers.

In one of my favorite psalms, David writes in Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT): "I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I breathe."

So, don't be afraid to present your requests for yourself and others to God in prayer. As Crowder sings in this song, miracles can come from feeble words.

In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus taught us that part of prayer is persistence. As you seek God, read the Bible, and talk with Him, He'll change your desire or redirect what you're asking for if He needs to do that. But, while trusting His ability to guide us, we ask God with faith and humility until He responds or directs us to change our perspective and request. 

Final Thoughts

Here are some practical tips. Consider what the Bible says regarding the need or situation you're praying for, and pray the promises of Scripture over those concerns. Ask God to guide you in praying for His will to be done in the situation you're concerned about, in accordance with the truth of Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. What person or need is God calling you to pray for today? Be the somebody that prayed.

Find "Somebody Prayed" on Crowder's album The Exile. Buy it on Apple Music or stream it on Spotify. Read the full lyrics of "Somebody Prayed" here.