The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
This week at church, we spent some time talking about prayer. Not just why we pray, but how we pray. It got me thinking about how something so personal and meaningful can also make us feel so uncomfortable at times.
Have you ever been asked to pray out loud in front of others and suddenly felt your heart race? I know I have. Someone says, “Would you like to pray?” and instantly your mind goes blank. You start thinking, I know how to pray in my head, but out loud? No way. All of a sudden you’re worried about saying the right words, sounding “good enough,” or messing something up.
But prayer isn’t meant to be a performance. It’s a conversation.
One thing we talked about in church was gratitude in prayer. How often do we come to God with a list of requests but forget to pause and say thank you? Thank you for our health. Thank you for answered prayers we may not even realize were answered. Thank you for the doors He closed that protected us, and the ones He opened at just the right time.
It’s easy to focus on what we want God to do next instead of remembering what He’s already done.
That said, all prayer is good prayer. Sometimes it’s a quiet whisper, a nervous out-loud prayer with shaky words, or a heartfelt cry for help. God hears it all. He isn’t grading our prayers. He isn’t waiting for fancy language or perfect sentences. He’s simply listening for our hearts.
So the next time you’re asked to pray and feel those nerves creeping in, remember this: God already knows what you’re going to say. He just wants you to talk to Him. And whether your prayer starts with gratitude, need, joy, or even uncertainty; it is enough.