PRAYERTITUDE
Prayer is something every believer has heard about countless times, and to some extent, we all know what it is. Prayer is our way of communicating and fellowshipping with God. Simply put, prayer is communication you speaking to God and God speaking back to you.
As the title Prayertitude suggests, this post will explore the attitude toward prayer and the attitude in prayer.
When Jesus was on earth, He taught His disciples how to pray. In Matthew 6, during the Sermon on the Mount, He addressed the posture and mindset we should have in prayer. Jesus offered a fresh perspective on how prayer is to be approached.
In this post, we’ll highlight three key attitudes to cultivate in prayer:
1. Heart Posture in Prayer
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites…” (Matthew 6:5)
This tells us that even hypocrites pray, but their prayers have no lasting impact because their motivation is to be seen and praised by people.
The posture of our heart in prayer is critical. The why behind our prayers is just as important as the prayer itself. So ask yourself:
What is my intention when I pray?
Am I praying just to build a reputation?
Do I want people to call me a “prayer warrior” or a “prayer machine”?
Do I pray just so I can answer “yes” when someone asks if I’ve prayed today?
If your motive is to please people rather than seek God, then such prayer carries no reward. Before you utter a word, examine your heart, make sure your intention is genuine, rooted in love for God and a desire for fellowship with Him.
2. Location of Prayer
The location of prayer is not about a physical spot that limits your access to God. While having a designated place can help develop consistency, Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:6 to:
“Go into your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is in secret.”
The “room” here represents your secret place a space of stillness and solitude with God. It’s not necessarily your bedroom; it’s any place where you can withdraw from distractions, silence the noise of the world, and focus entirely on God.
When Jesus says “shut the door,” He’s instructing us to eliminate distractions, put your phone aside, lay down offense, clear your mind, and shut out anything that hinders your communion with God.
The beautiful thing is: God is always available. The heavens don’t have closing hours. Whether you’re articulate or not, you don’t need the perfect words to come before Him. All He needs is a heart that’s ready to seek Him.
Remember Hannah in 1 Samuel when she prayed at Shiloh, her lips moved, but no sound came out. Eli thought she was drunk, but God heard her. Her heart was speaking, and God was listening.
3. The Time of Prayer
While Scripture encourages us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), it’s also important to have set times of prayerstructured moments dedicated to fellowship with God.
We see this in the life of Jesus, our perfect example. He would rise early and go to the mountain to pray. Likewise, in Acts 3:1, we’re told that Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer.
Every believer should establish their own “hour of prayer.” This doesn’t mean we can only pray at that hour, but rather, we create intentional rhythm and structure in our prayer life.
Conclusion
Prayer is not a ritual, it’s a relationship. It’s not about how eloquent you sound, but about the sincerity of your heart. As we grow in our attitude toward prayer (Prayertitude), let us continually examine our motives, shut out distractions, and build a consistent rhythm of communing with our Heavenly Father.