Is Prayer Important for the Christian?

Prayer. What is prayer? Let us define prayer as simply communicating with our Creator. Prayer might be asking God for help. It might be thanking Him for His blessings. Or it might be simply communicating, much the same way we might talk with a friend, discussing our day.
How important is prayer? If we believe in the Creator, believe He exists, and we believe that He desires to have a relationship with us, how important is prayer? If prayer is simply communicating, chatting if I may, then how important is prayer?
If we define prayer as simply chatting with God, and He desires a relationship with us, then perhaps we can compare prayer with talking with our best friend or spouse. How important is daily communication with our spouse or our best friend? Do we grow closer when we do not engage in daily conversation?
When we engage in daily conversation in any relationship, it should enable us to grow closer to that individual. So if we talk with God daily, do we not also grow closer to Him daily? And if we do not communicate with God daily, can we really grow closer? Even if we fill our lives with ‘holy’ activities—reading spiritual books, doing good works, going to church---will we grow closer without the daily communication that prayer is?
Prayer is infinitely important. When I pray daily, when I communicate daily with God and make time for Him in my life, I really do have an easier road. When I do not spend time with God daily, especially communicating with Him, I notice a profound difference in my daily achievements.
When you pray, you are communicating with the Creator of the universe. The Creator sincerely wants to hear and answer your prayers.
Are you communicating with God daily? Do you make time for Him everyday, no matter what? If you do, great. If not, I challenge you to get into the habit now. You will notice an immediate difference in the way you perceive things and in the way you respond to the world around you. Prayer does indeed change things.