How to Pray
In what is referred to as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave specific instruction on how to pray. Here is his counsel:
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
– Matthew 6:5-6
Prayer is a personal matter between the praying individual and the Father. It is a sincere undertaking whose primary purpose is to connect and commune with the Father. It is in these private moments that we pour out our hearts, and reveal our most intimate concerns, even as did Jesus:
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”
– Hebrews 5:7
If we were to make such displays in public, our motives could easily be questioned, and moreover, our pure unadulterated honesty could be stifled or misunderstood. Better to take Jesus’ counsel and follow his example, and offer our personal prayers in our private rooms.
But that is not to say that we cannot offer prayers of thanksgiving to the Father in public, as when we are about to partake of a meal. But we should be cognizant of our motives. Are we praying to draw attention to our godly devotion? Or are we sincerely giving thanks? If we are giving thanks in behalf of a group, it is necessary and appropriate to vocalize such prayers. But if we are offering personal thanks, we should remember that silent prayers are just as effective.
Neither does the counsel in Matthew mean that we cannot pray as a group or as a congregation. Group or congregational praying is very effective in that it aids in bringing the group closer together. When a group engages in community prayer for moral enhancement and spiritual uplift, such prayers positively effect the individuals composing the group. They are all made better because of participation. Even a whole city or an entire nation can be helped by such prayers. Confession, repentance, and prayer have led individuals, cities, nations, and whole races to mighty efforts of reform and courageous deeds of positive and audacious achievement.
Jesus also warned his followers against thinking that their prayers would be rendered more effective by ornate repetitions, eloquent phraseology, fasting, penance, or sacrifices.
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
- Matthew 6:7-8
No, prayer is not a magical incantation. Nor it is a means whereby we ask God to solve all of our difficulties. Prayer is not a substitute for action; instead, prayer should be a stimulus to action. We pray to have the courage, wisdom and ability to know how to act – not asking God to act for us, but with us.
Our prayers should also be fair. We should not expect God to show partiality – to love us more than His other children, our friends, neighbors, even enemies.
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
– Matthew 5:44-45
Remember, while prayer does not change God, it very often effects great and lasting changes in the one who prays in faith and confident expectation. Prayer has been the ancestor of much peace of mind, cheerfulness, calmness, courage, self-mastery, and fair-mindedness in the men and women who are seeking to do the divine will. We should pray as Jesus taught his disciples — honestly, unselfishly, with fairness, and without doubting.
If we are to engage in effective praying, we should bear in mind these thoughts:
- We must be sincere and courageous as we face the problems of life. We must develop spiritual stamina.
- We must have honestly exhausted the human capacity for achieving what we seek. We must have been industrious.
- We must surrender our desires to the transforming embrace of spiritual growth. We must allow the Spirit of Truth to do its work in our lives.
- We must make a wholehearted choice to do the divine will. We must obliterate indecision in this regard.
- We must not only recognize the Father's will and choose to do it, but we must have made an unqualified consecration, and a dynamic dedication, to the actual doing of the Father's will.
- We must pray with a view to obtaining divine wisdom that would help us solve the specific human problems we encounter now, and the wisdom that will carry us throughout our heavenly career.
- And we must have faith – a living faith.
Finally, when we have made our prayers to the Father, we should remain for a time in silent receptivity to afford the indwelling spirit the better opportunity to speak to our listening soul. The spirit of the Father speaks best to man when the human mind is in an attitude of true worship. Yes, effective prayer involves the ministry of the Father's indwelling spirit and the illumination of the God-oriented human mind that is saturated with truth, goodness, fairness and love.
