Honesty In Prayer

I was teaching a class at a church in Chicago when a young woman
raised her hand with a question. I knew her as a shy, conscientious
student who attended faithfully but never spoke. The rest of the class
seemed surprised as well and listened attentively. "I'm not always
sincere when I pray," she began. "Sometime it seems forced, more like
a ritual. I'm just repeating words. Does God hear those prayers?
Should I keep going even though I have no confidence that I'm doing it
right?"
I let the silence hang in the room for a moment before attempting an
answer. "Do you notice how quiet it is in here?" I said. "We all
sense your honesty. It took courage for you to be vulnerable, and you
touched a nerve with others of us in the room. You seem sincere,
unlike a salesman, say, who gets paid to give a spiel. We're tuned in,
listening, respectful, because you are being authentic. And I imagine
it's the same with God. More than anything else, God wants your
authentic self."

--Philip Yancey in PRAYER Does It Make Any Difference, p.40-41.


Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn back
on evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality. Proverbs 3:7-8