What motivates our prayer?

What motivates our prayer?

Eileen Renders

When we pray to God, why are we praying? Do we need His help, or are we thanking Him for something?

What motivates our prayer might be that we need His intervention, or that we love knowing how He loves us, and want to show Him that His love is returned. In all that we do, there is reason, and it is wise to reflect whether our motives are selfish or loving occasionally.

As we age, experience life’s ups and downs, we can grow in our relationship with Christ as we have experienced His protection and love in many ways. In this spiritual maturity, we simply go to Him every day to have a personal inner conversation with Him, and the focus is clear that our love for Him never stops growing. We want to thank Him for looking out for us, for always being there beside us, and within us.

We are required to carry our crosses in life without losing our trust and love of Him.

This comes to mind because of the many times I have heard people say to me or others, “I am praying for you that God gives you health, wealth, and happiness.” It sounds like a well-wished thought; however, life is full of many losses, disappointments, and tears. God did not promise a “Rose Garden.” God is not Santa Claus.

Adam and Eve did have a Garden of Eden, yet they disobeyed God and sinned. Life is temporary, it is our opportunity to strive toward following Jesus’ example of love, mercy, empathy, humility, and trust in Him, for we know at the end of our day, we will be fairly judged by God.

Praying is a wonderful way of spending time with God, yet this does not mean that going to Him each day to talk to Him is not a wonderful way to share and connect with Him as we would with our family. He hears our every word. Does a sparrow fall from a tree, and God does not know?

If you grew up with siblings, had you wondered whether mom and dad had a favorite? If you have children, do you find different aspects of each child to be special? Have you ever wondered what God loves most about us, each one of us in different ways? It is well documented how Jesus loves the little children, and it is not difficult to understand why. They are innocent souls, trusting, loving, and without sin. God may enjoy the way we love Him, or in the way we are careful to remain in the state of grace for His sake, how we have empathy for others. How might we be special in His eyes? Sincerity is a loving quality, might that be us?

One thing is for certain: we can never outdo God. Whatever we give to Him in sincerity, we will feel His love returned in abundance. That very thought brings us comfort, satisfaction, and joy.