When personal prayer is already often enough of a challenge for us as believers, why should we bother to make the effort to gather for communal prayer? Well there are plenty of reasons, not least is that Jesus himself commanded it! But along with that command there is the promise of a blessing for those who obey
Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them – Matthew 18:18-20
I have found that as we gather on Zoom for prayer every Monday, no matter how tired I am or how many excuses I have not to be there, when I make it a priority to prayer with my brothers and sisters I get really blessed. Blessed to be able to share my burdens in exchange for a share of others burdens, blessed to be able to empathise with and pray for those who are going through tough times, blessed to be able to come into the presence of The Living God and just pour out my heart of praise or sorrow before Him.
I would really encourage anyone reading to make the effort to find a local prayer gathering and then plug in. It takes effort and commitment for sure, but the effort is so worth the beauty of praying with other believers and watching God at work amongst their lives. Sharing answered prayer with others is also such a sweet and beautiful thing.