Is Prayer Worth the Effort?

ON FRIDAY, May 31, 1985, a series of tornadoes ripped through the southern section of Ontario, Canada. A clergyman living in the small village of Grand Valley watched helplessly while the raging wind tore the roof from his apartment. As reported in the press, he “saw miracles and tragedies happening side by side as he witnessed the wrath of nature out of control.”

Certainly, the loved ones and friends of the two persons killed by the tornadoes considered these a terrible tragedy. So did the thousand and more left homeless by the destructive twisters. On the other hand, many of those who narrowly escaped death or serious injury describe their survival as “a miracle.” Ron and his workmate were two of these. They reached the safety of the strongest part of their office building with only four seconds’ warning. After describing their amazing escape from death, Ron said: “Yes, I believed in God before and I sure believe in God now.”

It has been said that at the moment of sudden, unexpected calamity, ‘there are few, if any, atheists.’ And if there is enough time on such occasions, many fervent prayers for protection and survival are offered.

On Sunday, July 21, 1985, more than a hundred men, women, and children met for worship in their Kingdom Hall in Sydney, Australia. After a song of praise to God, prayer was offered on behalf of the congregation. When a minister was 15 minutes into his Bible discourse that Sunday morning, a bomb blast suddenly shattered the peace, critically injuring him, killing a man seated at the front of the hall, and resulting in the hospitalization of more than 40 persons.

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Does Prayer Make Any Difference?

Both of the events just related​—one described as “the wrath of nature out of control” and the other as a criminal act—​raise questions about the value of prayer. What is the value of praying? Does prayer really work? Is it worth the effort to pray?