[Jesus taught his disciples, “When] you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” —Matthew 6:6.
Prayer is an incredible invitation from God to share what is on our hearts with him. Even when we don’t have words, he helps us through his Spirit in those moments to assure us that we are heard fully (Romans 8:26-27). This incredibly intimate conversation, sustained by the precious and powerful Spirit of God within us, must never be debased by crass showmanship or pride (Matthew 6:5). Prayer is not done to prove our holiness to others but to deepen our relationship with Almighty God and reassure our hearts that our Father hears us and cares about us — our dreams and hopes as well as our struggles and concerns!