No Report Cards
The cool thing about praying is- God doesn’t give grades.
He just likes spending time with us. He likes making us part of his work. That is what prayer is. It is not about performance or “doing it right”.
Just talk to him.
You can start with a “Dear God”, or one of his names, or just launch in (God is always listening).
Then you can talk to him about anything and everything. Just like you would talk to anyone you are really close to. Follow the ACTS format- or no format.
Just talk to him.
You can end with an “Amen” or “In Jesus Name” or just go on to the next part of the day (knowing God is always listening all day, anyway). You passed the class because you did it, not because you “did it well”.
The point is- just talk to him.
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We are such mind- or thinking-oriented people in the West that it is hard for us to grasp that “our performance” isn’t going to be graded. Worrying about how and how well come from the mind and our focus on ourselves. Being a mind-dominated person myself, I have to re-mind myself that prayer is ultimately a heart thing. It’s a love affair with God. And if it is a genuine love affair, then performance and grades are irrelevant. Peace. Jim.
You are right. What if you had to worry about your conversational performance for every conversation you had with everyone you care about? It wouldn’t be true, caring conversation.
When we love someone, we tend to relax and talk and listen.