Prayer is powerful because of God. The power of God is the power behind prayer. As Christians, we know we need to pray, but at times we struggle in prayer. Just recently a Christian author and friend, whom I consider to be strong, confessed to me their struggles with prayer. Just the thought of wanting our prayer life to be better is a statement of our faith in God.
If we are not vigilant our prayer life can become rote. If we are not careful our prayers can become idolatrous. If we pray simply out of habit at the same time(s), only at meals, only before we lay our heads on our pillows, and when lead in class or worship, we run the danger of prayer being a ritual and not truly prayer. I encourage you to make prayer personal. Take time to simply talk with the Father in Heaven about your day, your cares, and fill it with praise for His role in your life.
Be sure to take the following frame of mind and spirit into you “closet” when you prayer:
- Humility – ” . . . if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2Chronicles 7:14.
- Thoughtfulness – “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41
- Penitence – “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1Peter 3:12
- Discipline – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.: Matthew 6:33
- Sincerity – “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
- Fervency – “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44
- Perseverance – Cf. Luke 18:1-8
- Watchfulness – “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self- controlled and sober- minded for the sake of your prayers.” 1Peter 4:7
- Faith – “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6
– Scott
Driving Thought 
Good points. I think we also often overlook the importance of brevity (Matthew 6:7, 9-13).
Especially in public prayer. I heard one preacher of years gone by, say of a long winded prayer in worship, “he must be catching up for the week.”
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