This is a challenge that all will face; myself and the church at large, for many a times prayer is just to show others that we can pray. When prayer is not directed to God from the heart of the person praying, it is actually not going anywhere, regardless of how eloquent it sounds or how charismatic it may appear. Sincere prayer is not only directed to God with the mouth but in the heart and may require the one praying to somehow block out every one else, not caring if a grammatical mistake has been made or anything of the sort. It may be that allot of church prayers are only foolishness in the ears of God, for we pray looking at the one beside or to boast and parade our eloquence or worse to lash out at other church members. It may sound ridiculous to some but it is true. The Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee in Like 18: 9-14 could be used as an example:
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’
I use this example mostly to highlight the fact that many pray lashing out at others, a sin that God detests. We cannot allow anything to negatively affect out prayer lives, whether it be pride, un forgivness or any other human weakness.
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’
I use this example mostly to highlight the fact that many pray lashing out at others, a sin that God detests. We cannot allow anything to negatively affect out prayer lives, whether it be pride, un forgivness or any other human weakness.