Seeking A Prayerful LifeSample

The Right Motive for Prayer

Prayer is one of the most critical components of the Christian life. Talking to God, whether silently or out loud, is the way we fellowship with God, and the primary thing God desires with us is fellowship (Is. 43:10). Therefore, it is essential that we pray and pray often. However, that we do pray is not the concern of Christ in this passage. His concern is how we pray and our motivation behind praying. 

The wrong motive for prayer is praying to be seen or heard by other people. Praying—even loving to pray—is not a sign that a person really knows God. Christ says that people who pray to be seen or heard by others love to pray, but they are hypocrites. They may experience good feelings and satisfying thoughts about their spiritual state and religious devoutness, but in this case it is a false self-image. A person who prays to receive recognition misses out on the most intimate presence in the universe. 

The right motive for prayer is praying to be heard by God. Christ says that a person who is genuine prays to be heard by God and not by others. In other words, pray as if you are unobserved, undisturbed, and unheard by anyone other than God Himself. The willingness to take time to pray is a beautiful act of reverence. Too few ever take time to pray, and even fewer spend more than scant minutes in prayer. God is available to us just as fathers are available to their children. We are to go to Him, pray, share, commune and let Him shower us with His care and protection and meet our every need (Ps. 91:1).

Study Questions:

• Do you spend more time praying alone or in public?

• Do you ever pray with the wrong motives? If so, what are some ways you can begin to change the motivations behind your prayers?

• Do you view God as somebody you can talk with regularly? 

For the next two weeks, make praying to God alone a priority in your day. You prayers do not have to be long, but begin communing with God in private and let the Holy Spirit change your heart!