DOES IT MATTER HOW WE PRAY? by Dan Warne for Core Christianity
“Does it matter how I pray?” If you’re a new Christian, maybe you’ve asked yourself that question. And if you’ve been a Christian for a long time, maybe it’s worth asking it again. Here are six key ways the Bible teaches us to come to God in prayer:
1. Pray sincerely.
Prayer isn’t about showmanship. It’s not about flexing your prayer muscles in public for admiration or applause. Jesus says in Matthew 6:5-6,
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“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
You don’t have to go into your room to pray, literally. The point here is that prayer isn’t stage performance. It’s a time to have a sincere conversation from the heart with God.
2. Pray purposefully.
Continuing in the same passage, Jesus says: “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:7-8). Verbosity and eloquence are not prayer superpowers. Purpose over punctiliousness is preferred (no, don’t look up punctilious, that’s part of the point!).
The next time you pray, you might read through Jesus’ pattern for prayer known as The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Drawing on the topics Jesus outlines in this model prayer will help you to pray with purpose.
3. Pray constantly.
Can you only pray in church? Kneeling beside your bed? Does it matter where and when you pray? Paul says 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that we should “pray without ceasing.” He encouraged the Romans to be “constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
