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Have you ever prayed, What must I do about a certain situation? What should my attitude be toward this person? What do I have to pray to make this right? You're trying so hard to do everything right that it becomes difficult to speak from the heart. Perhaps you're afraid of how you appear to God and to yourself. And in group prayer you may worry about repeating what someone else said or about bungling a name.

This self-consciousness can keep you from relating to God. No conversation is natural if you're constantly worried about "getting it right." That's why it's important to lose this preoccupation with appearances before God.

What you say to God is private. It's as if you're in a secret place where it's safe to say anything. You can tell God anything, including the less-than-admirable things you've done in private. You can reveal your disgusting attitudes to God and ask him to change you. You can tell him about the difficult people in your life and ask him to give you a heart for them. In the safety of that conversation, you can ponder the "shoulds," asking God to work in you in ways you could never achieve on your own. (See also 2 Samuel 7:19-29; 2 Kings 19:14-19; 2 Chronicles 6; 7; Nehemiah 1; Psalm 85; Lamentations 5; Acts 4:23-31.)

Good Words to Remember:
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9, 10

Today's Challenge:
The next time you feel self-conscious about praying in public, remember prayer is conversation with God.

Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian Bible Studies.

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