Pray Alone

Matthew 6:5–15

Imagine you’re sitting in class and your teacher starts his lesson. You quickly realize that today’s lecture is about your favorite subject! Just as he begins his lecture, you raise your hand and eloquently showcase your knowledge on the subject by asking questions. After 10 minutes, your teacher informs you that you’ve reached your question limit and asks to speak with you after class. He explains that he is worried your endless questions were not a case of curiosity, but rather a selfish display of your knowledge. 

In Matthew 6, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for similar selfishness. The Pharisees had a practice of praying loudly in the synagogues and on the street corners for the purpose of being seen by others. In other words, they were putting on a show. Jesus knew their hearts, and He knew they didn’t want to pray to talk with their God; they just wanted to display their knowledge and eloquence. 

But Jesus says that His followers are to be different. He challenges us to go into our room, close the door, and pray in secret. Praying alone is an important practice for every follower of Jesus. You may be thinking, But if I pray by myself, no one will know that I am praying. Exactly! That’s the point! 

Jesus encourages us to pray alone for the sole purpose of having communion—another way of saying closeness—with God. When we pray alone, we remove the selfish motive of being heard by others and we pray to be heard by God. 

Private, personal, passionate prayer is such a key pillar in the life of every Christian. I know that in the midst of the busyness of life, it’s hard to separate and pray alone. But Jesus tells us how important it is, and I promise it will have a deep impact on your life and relationship with Him. 

At some point today, take 10 minutes (or more!) to do exactly what Jesus challenged His followers to do in Matthew 6. Go into your room, close the door, and pray. If you don’t know what to say, use the prayer that Jesus gives us in this passage. It’s not about the words you say. It’s about your heart! You’ll find that spending this time alone in prayer with your Savior will leave you feeling refreshed and at peace.