If you grew up in a historical, organized religious tradition, you probably learned of the purpose of prayer. Maybe you were told that it was your petition to God in heaven. Or maybe it is a plea to obtain one wish or another. But did you learn that it was a sacred way to change your thinking?
My practice of prayer has evolved over my lifetime. As Catholics, we prayed the Rosary, which includes the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary.
One day, as a young teenager, I listened closely to the words I had repeated hundreds of times as a Catholic: “Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed be thy name.” Honestly, I said to myself what in the hell is that supposed to mean? I remember asking my mother about it, and in her well-meaning Catholic way, she told me just to pray and see it as penance for my sins! Her answer did not help!
After I left the Catholic Church and joined the Christian movement (very unlike the current state of Christianity), prayer became freer and more spiritual for me. But still, most of my prayers were petitions to God, an old man with a white beard (gee, sounds a bit like our traditional Santa Claus!), up in heaven.
When I joined the New Thought movement (Centers for Spiritual Living), I finally understood the real purpose of prayer.
Since I could not necessarily change my circumstances or the people around me, I COULD change myself and my thoughts about it. The use of the 5- or 7-step prayer treatment (or manifestation formula) helps me frame my petitions into affirmative statements. Instead of looking for things to happen ‘in the future’, I was claiming them NOW.
No more beseaching God to do this or that, I pray that all will be whole, perfect, and complete NOW! When I pray affirmatively, my situation changes within me first, and that, in turn, moves the situation outside me.
For example, I was struggling with a work situation that seemed to be escalating. My closest friends warned me that I was trying to change the people in this situation: How they were acting and treating me. Finally, I was able to surrender my overactive feelings and perceived attitude about the situation. Almost immediately, I could see the change! Did the other person change? Maybe! But I know that my affirmative prayer, surrendering to the best outcome, made a big difference!
It was then that I truly knew the real purpose of 
prayer is: To change ME!
If you are interested in learning more about affirmative prayer (manifestation formula) treatment, I have written a digital guide: Hungry Souls Manifestation Formula.