Praying from a place of intimacy

It took me a while to get away from performing for God in prayer and simply talking to him.

For a long time I thought I needed to pray a certain way for God to hear me or take me serious. I felt like I had to use big words and sound spiritual. But then I noticed that whenever I approached prayer that way, my mind would quickly become clouded and start to wander.

My lips were talking and sounding all spiritual, but my heart was somewhere else. I wasn't being genuine; I was putting on a show for God.

Until the Lord checked me in the most loving way and told me I was doing the most.

I still catch myself slipping into that mindset now and again, especially when I'm tired. There are moments when I think, "I'm exhausted, but I have to pray before I go to bed," and before I know it, I'm saying words out loud without truly engaging my heart or connecting with God.

But over and over again, Holy Spirit brings me back on track.

Whenever I begin drifting into performance mode, Holy Spirit reminds me that I don't have to put on a show for God. I'm not trying to impress him or earn his approval. My goal is to build on my relationship with him, walk closely with him, and continue growing in intimacy with him.

It's like two people who are dating but are constantly performing for one another. How long can that performance continue? At some point, the masks have to come off, right? Real relationships require honesty and authenticity.

In the same way, the Lord has continually reminded me, "There's no need to perform. You're talking to your Father."

Yes, he is the King of Glory. He is Almighty God, clothed in majesty, power, and authority. There are times in prayer when we stand before him—the righteous Judge of all the earth—in the courts of heaven, particularly when engaging in spiritual warfare.

Yet, we must remember that he is also Father, and he wants us to know him personally, walk closely with him, and enjoy genuine intimacy with him.

So I want to encourage anyone who may struggle with this.

As much as it's beneficial to have a prayer routine and a prayer structure—especially for people like me who sometimes still feel like they don't know how to pray—remember that prayer is ultimately about talking to God.

He doesn't want a performance. He doesn't want lip service. He doesn't want you to say big words that sound impressive but carry no meaning for you. He wants sincerity and for you to speak to him from your heart (Heb. 10:21-22a).

Let prayer become a time of intimate communion and fellowship with the Lord rather than a religious routine. When you come before God in prayer, whether to bring your petitions before him, give thanks, worship, or simply to talk about your day, let it be real.

Let it be a genuine interaction with the God who loves you and desires fellowship with you.

#becomeingavessel