Prayer Is More Than Just Words

When you pray... close your door.
Matthew 6:6

Jesus said "when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:6 ). With these few words, Jesus set the common perception of prayer on its ear. He said prayer was not to be a public demonstration of how "Spiritual" we are. No, the intimate nature of our communication with God calls for getting alone, away from all interruptions and distractions. Why? Because it's just you and your Father in a family discussion.
When people say they don't know how to pray, what they usually mean is that they don't know how to pray like some of us. They don't know how to use our "Christian jargon." Jesus said you don't need to worry about getting all the words right because "your Father knows what you need before you ask Him" (Matthew 6:8 ). God's listening to our heart more than our words. We don't have to be self-conscious about our praying; God isn't grading us on how well we express ourselves.
Again, compare prayer to breathing. Our breathing is done without our conscious attention to it, or even awareness that we're doing it. It is the natural expression of our moment-by-moment dependence on oxygen. That's how God wants us to treat our communication with Him. He wants prayer to be the air we breathe, the environment in which we live. Isn't that wonderful? Through prayer we can live in continuous contact with God. Just think how much that can change us and improve the quality of our lives.