Prayer often feels like an obligation rather than a delight. We pray when we have to or when we want to feel better. When we hit rock bottom or stand on the mountaintop, we turn to prayer, but most of life happens somewhere in between. That disconnect leaves us struggling to pray. We lose sight of gospel reality. We forget who God is and who we are.
But prayer isn’t about effort. It’s about aligning with what’s already true. The Father is near. The Son intercedes for us. The Spirit carries our groans. When we lose sight of that, we stop praying.
Thankfully, our Lord addresses prayer for us in Matthew 6.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
What Is Prayer?
Prayer is the response to the reality that God is the most important relationship we have. To understand prayer, we should perhaps understand what it is not.
It isn’t about us, and it isn’t even about others. Jesus calls out hypocrites who pray to impress. Their prayers are performances, not genuine conversations with God. They see no need for grace and believe their religious actions earn favor. That’s not prayer—it’s a show.
Real prayer happens when we stop caring about the opinions of others. Jesus says, “Go to your Father.” Not your boss, judge, or professor—your Father. Children don’t earn the right to speak to their parents; they belong. The same is even more true with God. He doesn’t want our performance. He wants to hear from us because we are His.
The Father accepts us because of Jesus. He saves completely, securing our place in His presence. Because of Christ, God always hears us. The Spirit connects our groans to His will, even when we lack the words. Prayer isn’t about informing God; He already knows. It isn’t religious reporting. It’s a relationship. We don’t pray to be heard. We pray because we are heard.
How Do We Pray?
We don’t pray because we have to. We pray because we can. There’s no pressure to get it right. Prayer isn’t the goal—God is. His grace is unshakable, yet He invites us to speak. He knows what we need, but He wants us to bring our hearts to Him.
Pray without fear. Pray persistently. Pray knowing He listens. Even in longing, even when life doesn’t match our expectations, God wants us to come to Him. Christ makes that possible. The Father’s heart is open.
What Do We Pray For?
Jesus teaches us to pray in light of four things: God’s person, His priorities, His provision, and His protection. We pray in recognition of who He is as our King and comforter. We seek His kingdom, asking Him to bring order to our chaos. We depend on Him for our daily needs, both physical and spiritual. We ask Him to deliver us from evil, trusting His grace from start to finish.
We don’t pray to get God’s attention. He already hears. There’s nothing to fix in our prayer life before coming to Him. We can always pray because Jesus intercedes and the Spirit dwells within us.
Prayers won’t always sound perfect. Cry upward. Groan upward.
Father, I’m here. I need You.
Father, this world is scary. Bring Your Kingdom.
Father, I’m afraid. Be my shelter.
Prayer isn’t a burden. It’s God’s cross-shaped gift of love and an ear bent toward His children.
This article is a recap of a sermon preached by Pastor Hunter Sipe at Good Shepherd Bible Church on Sunday, March 2, 2025 entitled Prayer: Waking Up to What’s Real. This sermon and others are available for listening on the Good Shepherd Bible Church Sermon Podcast.
Good Shepherd Bible Church is an Acts 29 church located in Pataskala, OH serving the eastern Columbus area.
We invite you to explore our website to learn more about GSBC, consider connecting at our church, or read about our core beliefs.