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Pray in Secret · Reformed Thinking

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  Welcome to Reformed Thinking, the show where we take your
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  sources, your questions, and together dig for the clearest
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  insights into God's world and His ways, always guided by His
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  Word. Today, you're joining us for the
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  deep dive as we unpack something absolutely central to a thriving
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  faith. It is a delight to have you with
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  us. Our objective is to shed light
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  on matters critical to your walk with Christ, helping you gain
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  greater clarity and courage in your spiritual life.
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  This kind of in depth look is always valuable.
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  Our subject today is private prayer.
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  You've provided us with a truly helpful collection of sources
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  spanning historical figures like George Mueller and William Law
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  to contemporary voices such as Tim Keller, John Popper, and
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  Francis Chan. Right, good mix.
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  And of course, all of this is grounded firmly in the timeless
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  teachings of Jesus himself. It's quite a treasury of wisdom
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  for us. Indeed, these sources don't just
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  tell us what private prayer is, they really articulate why this
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  personal conversation with our Creator is so essential.
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  We'll examine its meaning for your relationship with God and
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  offer practical approaches to make it a more vibrant aspect of
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  your daily life. OK, this isn't about simply
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  understanding a practice, but, well, engaging with a spiritual
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  reality. Our goal for this deep dive is
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  pretty straightforward, then, to comprehend the immense meaning
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  of private prayer, uncover its true objective, and provide you
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  with actionable ways to cultivate this vital discipline.
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  Whether you're looking to renew an existing routine or establish
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  a new one, this deep dive offers a clear path.
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  So let's open up these sources and see what we can learn
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  together. Sounds good, let's get into it.
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  Our conversation about private prayer begins with understanding
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  it's very definition, especially the phrase closet prayer.
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  This isn't just an old fashioned term, it carries a very specific
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  origin and a powerful message for us.
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  It's a concept that holds historical and theological
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  weight, guiding how we approach this practice today.
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  That's right. The term closet prayer comes
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  directly from Jesus's instruction in the Sermon on the
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  Mount, which we find in Matthew 6, verses 5 and 6.
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  This passage really sets the initial framework for our
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  understanding, establishing how believers throughout history
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  have come to grasp and engage in personal communion with God.
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  It offers a divine blueprint, you could say.
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  OK, let's consider those words from Jesus.
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  He was speaking into a particular cultural and
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  religious setting, wasn't he? What was the backdrop of his
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  instruction there? Absolutely.
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  Jesus was directly addressing a common practice of his day,
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  practicing your righteousness before other people in order to
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  be seen by them. This is a clear caution against
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  any outward religious display that lacked inward authenticity.
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  The core issue wasn't the act of prayer itself, but the
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  underlying intention, the motivation for engaging in such
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  a visible spiritual exercise. He aimed to correct a distorted
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  view of devotion, one that prioritized human perception
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  over divine connection. So if I'm hearing this
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  correctly, Jesus wasn't condemning all public prayer,
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  but rather a specific kind of public prayer.
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  Can you maybe unpack that distinction a bit more?
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  Precisely. He specifically spoke against
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  hypocrites who delighted in praying while standing in
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  synagogues and at St. Corners.
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  Their motivation, as Jesus clearly stated, was that they
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  may be seen by others. This wasn't about connecting
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  with God, it was about seeking human approval, performing for
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  an audience rather than truly worshipping.
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  The outcome, Jesus indicates was merely the temporary praise of
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  people, nothing more lasting. This serves as an example of how
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  a sacred practice can be fundamentally misused.
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  And then, after pointing out the flawed approach, Jesus offers a
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  clear alternative, a path for true devotion.
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  This is where closet prayer really comes into focus.
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  Indeed, Jesus then gives the counter instruction for genuine
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  devotion. But when you pray, go into your
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  room and shut the door and pray to your Father, who is in
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  secret, and your Father who sees in secret, will reward you.
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  This instruction shifts the entire focus from external show
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  to internal reality. The room and shutting the door
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  are not just about finding physical isolation, though that
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  could be helpful, but about cultivating a spiritual
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  intention of utter privacy. The true reward isn't human
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  applause, but a direct blessing from God himself, who perfectly
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  perceives our hidden devotion. This is a divine affirmation far
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  beyond any earthly recognition. So the core idea here is that
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  private prayer is an act of devotion, carried out in secret,
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  away from public view, directed solely to God.
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  It's a conversation intended exclusively for Him, not for an
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  audience. But what does that secrecy and
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  sincerity actually do for our spiritual integrity?
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  What's the deeper implication? That's an excellent question,
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  because this isn't just about location.
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  It's a critical reorientation of our entire spiritual posture.
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  It's a just the most authentic spiritual acts might be those
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  utterly unseen by human eyes. What does privacy truly does for
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  our spiritual integrity is strip away all external pressures and
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  desires to impress others, focusing our attention entirely
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  on our Heavenly Father. This emphasis on the inner
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  disposition rather than the outward show is a key Reformed
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  principle for us. This highlights our belief that
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  true faith and devotion always sprang from a heart transformed
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  by God's grace, rather than from external actions performed for
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  human approval. It ensures that our prayers are
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  directed toward God, arising from a heart that seeks his face
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  alone rather than the fickle approval of people.
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  It cultivates a true, unadulterated relationship with
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  Him. OK, so if private prayer is
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  rooted in this kind of sincerity and secrecy, what actual
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  benefits does that bring to us? Our sources reveal it serves
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  several critical objectives for your spiritual life, going far
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  beyond simple religious duty. You're right, it's so much more
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  than an obligation. Private prayer is presented as a
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  crucial measure of our spiritual condition and a means of grace
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  for growth. It doesn't just happen, it
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  actively molds and reveals our inner spiritual reality.
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  This practice is a cornerstone for genuine spiritual vitality
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  and maturation, offering us a window into our true selves
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  before God. And one of the most striking
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  descriptions of its utility comes from Tim Keller.
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  He uses a very strong phrase, doesn't he?
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  Yes, Tim Keller is quoted stating that the infallible test
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  of spiritual integrity, Jesus says, is your private prayer
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  life. Wow, infallible.
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  Test. Yeah, it's a powerful
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  declaration on its meaning because it positions private
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  prayer as the ultimate gauge of where our heart truly stands
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  with God. An infallible test implies
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  something that cannot fail to uncover the truth, getting
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  through any pretense or self deception.
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  OK. It suggests that if our private
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  prayer life is absent or superficial, then our spiritual
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  integrity itself is open to question, regardless of outward
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  appearances. This is where we confront our
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  true spiritual standing. That's a challenging idea
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  because it forces us to look beyond what we do in public.
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  How does it manage to discern our true motivations so
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  accurately? It forces us to discern true
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  motivation because people may pray publicly due to cultural or
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  social expectations or even anxiety during challenging
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  times. These external pressures can
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  create a facade of genuine devotion.
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  However, those with a truly lived relationship with God as
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  Father will possess an inward desire to pray, doing so even
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  when nothing external compels them.
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  This inner compulsion, independent of outward
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  circumstances, is the mark of authenticity that private prayer
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  reveals. It's the distinction between a
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  duty and a delight, between obligation and genuine affection
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  for God. Without the public eye, our real
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  desires come to the surface. And it goes even further,
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  suggesting that this true desire persists even in what can feel
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  like, you know, barren spiritual times.
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  That's a critical observation. This internal desire means they
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  pursue prayer even during times of spiritual dryness when there
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  is no social or experience prevention pay off.
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  This is particularly telling when there's no emotional lift,
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  no public praise, and no immediate answer to a petition.
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  The one who still seeks God in secret demonstrates that their
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  motivation is God Himself, not the benefits or feelings
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  associated with Him. This unvarnished pursuit exposes
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  whether our prayers are genuinely for God, or for human
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  approval, or even for our own comfort.
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  It's a stripping away of all secondary motives, revealing a
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  pure, unadulterated seeking of God.
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  So ultimately, private prayer helps us see if God is truly our
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  greatest treasure. How might a lack of private
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  prayer actually expose A deeper idolatry we might be completely
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  unaware of in our public life? That's a key question Private
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  prayer clarifies whether God is truly your true treasure.
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  Is prayer a genuine interaction with a God who hears and desires
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  are good, or a mechanism to appear godly and impress others?
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  It illuminates our relationship with God by revealing what or
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  who we value most. If God isn't our primary
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  treasure, the ankiness of our private prayer life can expose
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  what is occupying that throne. Whether it's comfort,
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  achievement, relationships, or social standing.
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  We might say God is our treasure, but where we spend our
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  most private, uncompensated time often tells the real story.
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  If spending time alone with God feels like a chore, it suggests
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  our hearts are captivated by something else, something that
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  offers a more immediate, tangible reward.
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  That's a really potent point. It cuts through any fog and
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  confusion, revealing where our hearts truly lie.
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  And it's not just a diagnostic tool, is it?
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  It also acts as a healing one. It doesn't just identify the
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  sickness, it provides the medicine itself.
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  Yes, it functions as both a measure and a medicine for the
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  soul. This dual role is vital for our
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  spiritual health. It doesn't just expose our
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  spiritual reality, but actively works to mend it.
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  This aligns with the Reformed understanding of human
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  depravity, our inherent tendency towards sin, and God's active
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  work and sanctification, that ongoing lifelong process where
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  He refines and renews us by His Spirit using means such.
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  As private prayer, right? Sanctification.
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  It's God's instrument for our internal renewal, a way for Him
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  to restore our brokenness. John Piper offers a very clear
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  perspective on this healing aspect.
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  What does he tell us about that? John Piper has cited explaining
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  that prayer is not only the measure of our hearts.
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  Revealing what we really desire is also the indispensable remedy
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  for our hearts when we do not desire God the way we ought.
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  Indispensable remedy. Another strong phrase.
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  It is. It means that when we recognize
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  our spiritual apathy or misplaced affections through the
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  test of private prayer, the very active engaging in it because
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  the solution, it's a grace filled cycle.
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  Prayer reveals our need, and prayer meets our need.
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  It's a way for God to reshape our affections when they've gone
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  astray, pulling us back towards Him.
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  And what specific areas of our spiritual brokenness does this
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  remedy address? What does it actually heal?
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  It directly addresses our spiritual brokenness in several
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  ways. Private prayer shows who we
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  really are spiritually and is essential in healing the many
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  places we find ourselves broken, needy, lacking and rebellious.
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  These are the internal spiritual shortcomings that hinder our
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  relationship with God when we are broken by sin, feeling needy
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  for grace, lacking in spiritual vitality, or acting in rebellion
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  against His will. Private prayer is the means God
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  has given us for respiration. It's where the Spirit works to
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  apply God's Word to our wounded souls, bringing about
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  confession, repentance, and renewal.
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  It's where we lay bare our spiritual ailments and receive
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  God's healing touch. So it helps us truly see our
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  spiritual reality and then actively works to mend it.
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  That's a beautiful picture of grace in action, God meeting us
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  in our weakness and working His will in US.
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  It certainly illustrates God's grace.
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  This understanding aligns with the Reformed perspective that
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  recognizes our inability to fully heal ourselves.
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  God provides this means by which we can participate in our own
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  spiritual rebuilding all through His grace.
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  Private prayer thus becomes a conduit for divine healing and
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  reshaving, actively shaping our hearts to be more like His.
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  This sounds like prayer is less about a transaction where we ask
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  for things and more about the relationship itself.
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  Is that fair? That's precisely it.
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  The heart of prayer, according to Keller, is not getting things
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  from God, but getting God Himself.
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  This reframes our entire perspective on prayer.
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  It refocuses our attention from the benefits or blessings we
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  might seek to the Benefactor himself.
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  The primary objective isn't to accumulate answers to petitions,
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  but to commune with the living God, to draw near to him for his
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  own sake. It shifts our desire from the
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  gifts to the Giver, helping us find our greatest joy in Him
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  alone. So it becomes a direct
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  conversation, a dialogue, rather than a monologue of requests.
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  How does that dialogue play out? Yes.
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  Private prayer is where we speak back to God in response to His
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  Word to us, allowing us to experience what it means to
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  enjoy Him as an end in Himself. Ah, responding to his word.
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  Exactly. God initiates the conversation
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  through His Word, speaking to us through Scripture.
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  In prayer, we respond to what He has spoken.
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  This reciprocal communication means we aren't just presenting
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  a shopping list, but engaging in a dynamic, living relationship.
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  We find our satisfaction and joy in God Himself, recognizing that
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  He is the ultimate good, the supreme objective of our
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  existence. This is where theology moves
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  from head knowledge to heart experience.
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  And this leads to an experience of immense intimacy with God.
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  What does that intimacy look and feel like, according to the
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  sources? It absolutely does.
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  In private prayer, we experience the privilege of having God's
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  ear, discovering we are not just servants, but friends and
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  children who have His heart. Friends and children.
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  Yes, He wants to hear from us. This highlights the immense
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  privilege of prayer. To know that the Creator of the
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  universe, the Sovereign Lord, not only listens but desires our
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  personal, intimate communication is a truly astonishing truth.
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  It speaks to our adopted status in Christ, confirming that we
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  are heirs, not just hired hands with direct access to our loving
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  Father. It reshapes our identity in
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  light of His affection, allowing us to pour out our hearts
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  without reservation. What an incredible privilege
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  indeed, to not just be heard, but to be truly known and
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  desired by God as His children. That insight really changes
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  everything about how we approach Him.
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  It certainly does. OK, we've spent time on Jesus's
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  warning against praying to be seen, and our sources also
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  detail the subtle dangers that can arise in public prayer if
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  it's not anchored by genuine private devotion.
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  It's a fine line, isn't it, between communal worship and
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  personal performance? This distinction is critical,
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  yes, not to diminish public prayer, which absolutely has its
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  own given place and purpose within the body of Christ.
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  We need that corporate worship. However, we must guard against a
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  fundamental distortion of its objective.
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  Public prayer, when offered sincerely, is a beautiful
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  expression of corporate faith, unity and shared longing.
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  But when it becomes detached from a genuine private life with
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  God, it could become a spiritually dangerous exercise
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  for the individual. The real danger lies in the
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  hearts true intention, which can often be masked by outwardly
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  religious actions. So Jesus admonition back in
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  Matthew 6 really hinges on the motivation behind the prayer
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  rather than the location itself. Absolutely.
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  Jesus warned against those who pray in public places that they
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  may be seen by others. Their motivation was to garner
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  human praise to impress the onlookers rather than to commune
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  with God. Right.
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  This isn't about the act of public prayer itself, but the
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  correct intention behind it. It's a stark reminder that God
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  sees the heart and He values sincerity over spectacle.
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  When our prayers are designed for human consumption, they miss
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  their divine target. They become more about
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  impressing others than about connecting with the Holy One.
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  And what's the consequence or outcome for someone who prays
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  with such motivation? What did Jesus say happens?
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  Jesus states that such public displays, driven by the desire
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  for human recognition, have received their reward.
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  Already received it. Yes, their reward is the
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  fleeting praise and approval they sought from people.
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  However, they entirely lack divine recognition for true
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  devotion. There is no eternal credit, no
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  blessing from the Father who sees in secret, because their
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  true reward has already been delivered and consumed in the
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  moment of human applause. It's a complete exchange of
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  eternal value for temporary gratification.
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  A terribly unbalanced trade, really.
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  So the reward for public performance is only human
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  applause, which quickly fades. It's a shallow return for what
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  should be a spiritual act. Precisely.
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  It's a fleeting earthly reward that entirely misses the eternal
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  weight of God's approval. The applause of mankind is
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  temporary and ultimately unsatisfying, whereas the reward
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  from the Father who sees in secret is lasting, deeply
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  satisfying, and eternally significant.
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  This contrast serves as a sober warning to examine the true
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  desires of our hearts when we engage in any public spiritual
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  exercise, including prayer. But this isn't just an ancient
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  problem, is it? Our sources suggest this subtle
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  seduction continues in contemporary church communities,
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  and I can't help but think about how our current digital age
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  might even amplify this. What did the sources say?
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  You're very perceptive. The sources highlight that even
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  today, it is easy to slide into impressing others as the driving
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  motivation for our praying with others.
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  How does that show up? Well, this can manifest in the
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  length, tone, topic, mood, or word choice designed to produce
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  effects in human hearers. For example, someone might use
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  overly theological language that sounds spiritual but is aimed at
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  showcasing knowledge. Right, trying to sound smart.
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  Exactly. Or a dramatic tone meant to stir
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  emotion in others rather than speaking humbly to God.
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  Choosing topics that sound particularly pious or using
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  specific spiritual jargon can all be subconscious attempts to
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  make oneself appear more devout or knowledgeable to those
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  listening. And you mentioned the digital
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  age. Absolutely.
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  This can extend to online prayer requests or declarations that
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  are less about genuine petition and more about projecting a
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  certain spiritual image to an online audience.
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  Yeah, I can see that. It's a subtle yet potent danger
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  as it contaminates the wellspring of true worship,
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  shifting its focus from God to self.
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  This means the entire focus of the prayer shifts away from God
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  and onto ourselves. The person praying becomes the
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  center, not God. Exactly.
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  The real danger is sidelining God and shifting our focus to
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  making ourselves look impressive.
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  When our conscious or subconscious goal becomes self
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  aggrandizement, even within the act of prayer, God is no longer
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  the center. Prayer becomes a tool for
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  personal reputation management rather than a sacred encounter
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  with the Divine. This is precisely why closet
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  prayer serves as a crucial test of authenticity for our public
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  praying. It helps us ensure that God
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  remains the true focus and that our hearts are genuinely
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  directed toward Him when we gather with others.
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  It's the private life that guards the integrity of the
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  public, ensuring that our communal worship remains pure
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  and God honoring. It truly is a challenging line
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  to walk. As the sources point out.
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  We are called to pray with others, that's clear, but our
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  hearts must be carefully guarded.
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  It's a constant call to self examination and sincerity in
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  every spiritual act. Very well put.
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  OK, so if private prayer is such a vital practice, we need only
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  look to our Lord for the ultimate example.
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  Even without sin or spiritual inadequacy, Jesus consistently
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  sought out solitude for prayer. He of all people had no need to
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  impress or to remedy any spiritual brokenness.
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  Yet he prioritized this personal communion with the Father.
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  What does that tell us? This fact truly highlights the
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  centrality of private prayer. If the Son of God, perfectly
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  divine and without any blemish, found it essential for his
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  fellowship with the Father, how much more do we need it?
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  His example is not simply a suggestion, but a powerful
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  demonstration of what a genuine, intimate relationship with God
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  entails. It shows us that prayer is not
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  merely a crisis management tool or a confessional for our sins,
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  but a means of joyful communion with the living God.
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  It sets the standard for our own spiritual lives, revealing
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  prayer as an act of pure desire for God's presence.
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  What was his primary motivation then for this consistent
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  practice? What drove him into these
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  solitary moments? It wasn't inadequacy, So what
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  was it? Jesus had no inadequacies to
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  make up for and no doubts about his trueness, yet he desperately
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  desired fellowship with his Father.
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  Desperately desired. Yes, that was the driving force
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  behind his private prayer. His perfection didn't diminish
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  his desire for intimate communion, rather it intensified
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  it. This desperate desire wasn't
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  born of human neediness, but from the eternal bond of love
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  within the Trinity, A perfect union that still found
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  expression in the Son's human experience through dedicated
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  time with the Father. He sought the Father's presence
• 20:30
  for the sheer joy and sustaining relationship it provided,
• 20:33
  showing us that prayer is an expression of deep affection and
• 20:35
  dependence. And this wasn't an occasional
• 20:37
  thing for him, it was a consistent pattern throughout
• 20:40
  his public ministry. Can you give us a clearer
• 20:42
  picture of that pattern? How regular was it?
• 20:45
  Indeed, it was a regular habit for him to withdraw to desolate
• 20:48
  places and pray. This wasn't an occasional
• 20:50
  activity reserved for moments of extreme stress or profound
• 20:53
  decision making. It was a rhythmic, integral part
• 20:56
  of his daily and weekly life. This consistency underscores
• 21:00
  that private prayer is not a last resort, but a steady
• 21:03
  spiritual diet essential for nourishing and maintaining the
• 21:06
  most important relationship in existence.
• 21:09
  It shows us that even in the midst of constant demands and
• 21:12
  pressing crowds, Jesus made space for this essential
• 21:16
  communion, demonstrating his non negotiable status.
• 21:19
  The sources list several specific instances of Jesus
• 21:22
  engaging in private prayer. Maybe you could walk us through
• 21:24
  a few of those to illustrate what these moments tell us about
• 21:27
  his prayer life. Certainly Jesus's life paints A
• 21:30
  consistent picture, revealing both his deliberate withdrawals
• 21:33
  and his dependence on the Father.
• 21:35
  In critical moments, we see him retreating to solitude after
• 21:38
  great acts of public ministry. For instance, after feeding
• 21:41
  thousands and dismissing the crowds, he went alone to a
• 21:44
  mountain to pray. OK, away from the activity.
• 21:47
  Yes, this wasn't exhaustion necessarily.
• 21:50
  It was a deliberate turning from the clamor and demands of
• 21:53
  ministry to seek His Father, refreshing His spirit and
• 21:56
  communion. Luke 5.16 tells us that he would
• 21:59
  regularly withdraw to desolate places and pray, indicating this
• 22:03
  wasn't an anomaly but a deeply ingrained pattern.
• 22:07
  Imagine the Son of God constantly surrounded by people
• 22:10
  seeking healing and teaching, yet consistently prioritizing
• 22:14
  these solitary moments. Yeah, I'm making time for it.
• 22:16
  And Mark 1.35 gives us that glimpse into his early morning
• 22:19
  routine, rising very early while it was still dark.
• 22:22
  He departed and went out to a desolate place.
• 22:25
  And there he prayed. Before the day even started.
• 22:27
  Exactly this demonstrates A deliberate seeking of communion
• 22:30
  before the day's demands could even begin, setting the
• 22:33
  spiritual tone for his busy schedule.
• 22:35
  It speaks volumes about placing God first in his day, then
• 22:38
  before selecting his 12 disciples, a truly momentous
• 22:41
  decision that would shape the future of his ministry.
• 22:44
  He spent all night in prayer to God on a mountain.
• 22:48
  All night. Wow.
• 22:49
  Yes, this highlights the immense weight in sitting his complete
• 22:54
  reliance on divine wisdom that preceded such a crucial act.
• 22:58
  It reveals that the most weighty decision should be steeped in
• 23:00
  extended private communion with God.
• 23:03
  And finally, consider the unimaginable agony of Gethsemane
• 23:06
  on the eve of his crucifixion. In that darkest hour, facing the
• 23:10
  ultimate sacrifice, he prayed alone, not once, but three
• 23:14
  times. Even asking the disciples to
• 23:16
  pray with him, but they couldn't stay away.
• 23:18
  Right. And this desperate, solitary
• 23:20
  communion with the Father speaks volumes about its essential
• 23:23
  nature, not just for joy, but for strength, surrender, and
• 23:27
  discernment in the face of overwhelming suffering.
• 23:30
  Even when his closest disciples failed him, Jesus persisted in
• 23:33
  his private communion. That picture is incredibly
• 23:36
  clear. From the beginning of his
• 23:38
  ministry to the eve of his crucifixion, private prayer was
• 23:40
  an essential part of Jesus's relationship with the Father.
• 23:43
  It wasn't just his lifeline, but his source of joy and strength.
• 23:46
  His example certainly underscores that private prayer
• 23:49
  is not just for addressing our shortcomings, but for deepening
• 23:52
  our relationship with God purely for the joy of His presence and
• 23:56
  communion. It models for us a life where
• 23:58
  the highest aim is to glorify God and to enjoy Him, and
• 24:02
  private prayer is a primary means to that end.
• 24:05
  It is a time for heartfelt adoration, intimate
• 24:08
  conversation, and joyful dependence on the One who is our
• 24:12
  All in all, regardless of the outward circumstances of life.
• 24:15
  OK, so understanding why private prayer is so significant is one
• 24:19
  thing, but how do we actually do it in our busy lives?
• 24:22
  Our sources provide 5 practical, adaptable suggestions for
• 24:26
  enriching your personal time with God.
• 24:28
  Yeah, this is where it gets really helpful.
• 24:29
  Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to refine
• 24:32
  your current practice, this is where the principles meet the
• 24:34
  practical reality of our daily existence.
• 24:36
  These suggestions offer a balanced approach, recognizing
• 24:39
  that while the object of our prayer, God himself, is
• 24:42
  constant, the patterns and routines can and should vary
• 24:45
  through the seasons of our lives.
• 24:47
  Right. No one-size-fits-all.
• 24:48
  Exactly. There's no single rigid formula
• 24:52
  for everyone. A rather sound principles that
• 24:54
  can be adapted to foster a genuine living connection with
• 24:58
  God. This flexibility allows for
• 25:00
  growth and prevents the practice from becoming stale or
• 25:03
  mechanistic. It's about finding what helps
• 25:06
  you connect authentically. Let's jump into the first
• 25:08
  suggestion then. What's the practical advice our
• 25:10
  sources offer for just getting started?
• 25:12
  Maybe setting the stage? The first suggestion is to
• 25:15
  create your closet. The idea here is to find or make
• 25:19
  a regular, dedicated physical space for private prayer.
• 25:22
  Your own closet. Yeah, this helps establish
• 25:25
  consistency and signals to your mind and spirit that this time
• 25:28
  and place are set apart for God. It doesn't have to be an actual
• 25:31
  walk in closet, of course, but it should be a place you
• 25:34
  intentionally set aside. Practical examples include a
• 25:37
  clean desk, a specific spot where you can kneel, a
• 25:39
  particular chair, or a quiet nook in your home.
• 25:42
  The key is the designation and the intention behind it.
• 25:45
  So it's about creating an internal boundary for ourselves,
• 25:48
  helped by an external one. How does having a consistent,
• 25:51
  designated space actually help our prayer life?
• 25:53
  It's quite powerful actually. Having a consistent go to spot
• 25:57
  can significantly aid in maintaining regularity because
• 26:00
  it creates an expectation and a visual cue.
• 26:03
  Like a trigger. Kind of.
• 26:05
  When you step into that space, your mind and spirit begin to
• 26:08
  settle. Anticipated the communion with
• 26:11
  God. The source notes that praying
• 26:13
  beside the bed can often be more fruitful than staying in bed.
• 26:17
  Yeah, I can see that being true. Highlighting how a physical
• 26:20
  shift, even a small one, can facilitate a spiritual one.
• 26:24
  It creates an environment conducive to focus.
• 26:26
  Communion, helping to minimize distractions and encouraging a
• 26:30
  mental and spiritual readiness for engaging with God, becomes a
• 26:33
  personal sanctuary, a habit forming trigger, a place where
• 26:36
  you consistently meet with your Heavenly Father, fostering a
• 26:39
  sense of discipline and reverence.
• 26:41
  OK, that makes sense. The second suggestion seems to
• 26:43
  tie directly into our Reformed understanding of God's Word
• 26:46
  being primary. How does it counsel us to begin
• 26:49
  our prayer time? It absolutely does.
• 26:51
  Suggestion number 2 is to begin with Bible.
• 26:54
  The central idea here is to start your prayer time by
• 26:57
  engaging with the Scriptures. The critical rationale is that
• 27:00
  prayer is a response to God's initiation and is speaking to us
• 27:04
  through His Word. We don't initiate the
• 27:06
  conversation. God does through His revelation
• 27:10
  in Scripture. OK, so God speaks first.
• 27:12
  Exactly. George Mueller's experience
• 27:14
  perfectly illustrates this counter intuitive truth.
• 27:17
  For 10 years, Mueller began his day with an immediate attempt at
• 27:20
  fervent, extended prayer. He eventually learned that his
• 27:23
  prayers became much richer and focused when they came in
• 27:26
  response to God's Word. He discovered that effective
• 27:28
  prayer isn't always about intensity or sheer will, but
• 27:31
  about alignment with God's prior Word.
• 27:33
  So what did Mueller actually do? Well, his method involved a
• 27:36
  brief prayer for God's help as he began.
• 27:39
  Then he would read and meditate on the Scriptures, allowing
• 27:41
  himself to open his ear to God in His Word.
• 27:45
  Only then, after hearing from God, would he transition into
• 27:48
  his season of daily private prayer.
• 27:50
  This approach grounds our prayers in God's revealed truth,
• 27:54
  making them less about our own whims and more about responding
• 27:57
  to His will and character, aligning our requests and
• 28:00
  adoration with divine truth. Prayer is a conversation we
• 28:03
  didn't start. That's a quote from the sources,
• 28:05
  right? That's a really clear statement,
• 28:07
  making our prayers a response rather than solely an initiation
• 28:10
  from our side. It shapes our entire posture
• 28:13
  before God. It truly reshapes our view of
• 28:15
  prayer, ensuring it as a dialogue rooted in divine
• 28:18
  revelation, which is, as you said, a key aspect of reformed
• 28:21
  understanding. It prevents prayer from becoming
• 28:24
  merely a self-centered exercise where we rattle off our wants or
• 28:27
  demands. Instead, it turns it into an
• 28:29
  informed, spirit LED response to the God who has already spoken.
• 28:33
  This fosters a deeper, more intentional connection because
• 28:36
  our prayers are then shaped by his perspective, his priorities,
• 28:39
  and his character. OK, so after we've heard from
• 28:41
  God in His Word, how do we structure our response?
• 28:45
  This brings us to the third suggestion for our prayer time.
• 28:48
  What framework does it offer? Suggestion #3 is to adore,
• 28:52
  confess, thank, ask Acts. The idea is that after reading
• 28:57
  and meditating on the Bible, you use a structured framework like
• 29:01
  ACTS before moving into what's often called free prayer.
• 29:05
  ACTS. I've heard of that.
• 29:06
  Yeah, it's pretty well known. William Law, an influential
• 29:08
  Christian writer, suggested that devotion should have something
• 29:11
  fixed and something at liberty. And the ACTS model provides that
• 29:14
  fixed, reliable structure. This time tested form provides
• 29:18
  balance, ensuring our prayers cover different facets of our
• 29:21
  relationship with God rather than always leaning on one type
• 29:24
  of prayer. OK, breakdown ACTS for us.
• 29:26
  What's? The A The A is for adoration.
• 29:29
  This involves praising God for His character, His attributes,
• 29:32
  and the truths revealed in your Scripture reading and
• 29:34
  meditation. It cultivates a heart of
• 29:37
  worship, turning our attention from ourselves and our
• 29:39
  circumstances to the glory and majesty of God.
• 29:43
  For example, if you just read about God's faithfulness in a
• 29:46
  difficult situation, you might adore Him for His steadfastness,
• 29:50
  his unwavering nature, or His perfect timing.
• 29:54
  This reorients our perspective right at the start.
• 29:56
  Got it. Adoration, then CC.
• 29:58
  Is for confession in the light of the truth you've just
• 30:01
  contemplated from Scripture. You confess your sins, failings,
• 30:04
  and inadequacies, both general and specific.
• 30:07
  This promotes humility and honesty before God,
• 30:10
  acknowledging our need for His grace and cleansing.
• 30:12
  For instance, if you read about God's purity, you might confess
• 30:15
  any areas in your life where you've fallen short of His holy
• 30:18
  standard. It's an exercise in spiritual
• 30:20
  hygiene, clearing the way for closer communion.
• 30:23
  OK, ACT must be. Tea is for Thanksgiving.
• 30:25
  Here you express gratitude for God's grace and mercy,
• 30:29
  reflecting on His goodness in your life.
• 30:31
  This could be for specific blessings, for His provision,
• 30:35
  for answered prayers, or simply for the salvation we have in
• 30:38
  Christ. It cultivates a heart of
• 30:40
  appreciation and reminds us of God's active involvement in our
• 30:44
  lives. Even in difficult seasons, we
• 30:46
  can usually find something to give thanks for regarding who
• 30:49
  God is. Absolutely.
• 30:51
  And finally S S. Is for supplication.
• 30:54
  This is where you present specific petitions to God for
• 30:57
  yourself, your family, your church, and beyond.
• 31:00
  These requests often flow directly from your meditation
• 31:03
  and then broaden out to other concerns on your heart.
• 31:06
  For instance, if you meditated on a passage about God's
• 31:08
  provision, you might supplicate for specific needs in your life,
• 31:11
  for financial assistance, or for the physical and spiritual needs
• 31:14
  of others you care about. Historically, figures like
• 31:17
  Martin Luther recommended praying through the Lord's
• 31:19
  Prayer with fresh wording each day, which is another example of
• 31:22
  using a fixed form to guide and enrich prayer, making it both
• 31:26
  structured and personal. This ACTS structure offers a
• 31:29
  clear guide, helping ensure our prayers are comprehensive and
• 31:32
  God centered, not just a list of wants.
• 31:35
  It helps us engage with the fullness of who God is.
• 31:38
  It certainly nurtures a fuller expression of our relationship
• 31:41
  with God, encompassing worship, humility, gratitude, and
• 31:45
  dependence. This systematic approach helps
• 31:48
  ensure that our prayer life isn't lopsided, focusing only on
• 31:51
  requests, but that it includes all the necessary elements of a
• 31:55
  healthy God honoring dialogue. It helps us move beyond
• 31:59
  repetitive phrases and into a more complete spiritual
• 32:02
  conversation. Now after that structured part,
• 32:04
  the sources talk about a more open-ended aspect of prayer.
• 32:07
  What's the 4th suggestion for our prayer life?
• 32:09
  The At Liberty part. Right, the 4th suggestion is to
• 32:12
  divulge your desires and develop them.
• 32:15
  This is the Something at Liberty part, or what we call free
• 32:17
  prayer, where you voice whatever is truly on your heart, your
• 32:21
  burdens, anxieties, and deepest feelings.
• 32:23
  Just letting it out. Exactly.
• 32:25
  Private prayer is a space where you can be most honest with God
• 32:28
  and with ourselves, expressing your heart to your Father who
• 32:31
  already knows it and desires to hear it.
• 32:34
  This is an immense privilege to pour out our unfiltered hearts
• 32:37
  to the One who perfectly understands and cares for us
• 32:39
  without needing to censor or edit ourselves.
• 32:41
  It's a place of complete vulnerability.
• 32:44
  But the practice goes beyond simply divulging desires.
• 32:47
  Prayer is also a powerful means for developing our desires.
• 32:51
  Developing them? How so?
• 32:53
  Well, it has the unique ability to change our hearts like
• 32:55
  nothing else. This shaping occurs especially
• 32:58
  when guided by biblical prayers such as those found in the
• 33:01
  Psalms or from the Apostle Paul. Think of his prayers in
• 33:04
  Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians.
• 33:06
  Using those as models. Precisely by praying through
• 33:09
  these inspired words, we learn what desires are righteous and
• 33:12
  God honoring, allowing the Spirit to align our affections
• 33:15
  with God's perfect will. We learn to want what God wants
• 33:19
  for us rather than just what we think we want.
• 33:22
  It's a critical process of spiritual growth where our
• 33:24
  hearts are conformed to Christ's.
• 33:26
  So it's not just about telling God what we want, but letting
• 33:29
  His Word actually shape what we should want.
• 33:31
  That's true spiritual growth, a real reshaping of our inner
• 33:35
  landscape. Yes, it is the Spirit working
• 33:37
  through the Word in our hearts to align our will with God's
• 33:41
  perfect will. This process of desire
• 33:43
  development is central to sanctification, where our
• 33:46
  innermost longings are progressively made more like
• 33:49
  Christ's. It ensures that our prayers
• 33:51
  become less about self-serving requests and more about seeking
• 33:55
  God's Kingdom and His righteousness.
• 33:57
  This is how prayer truly becomes an instrument of grace for our
• 34:00
  spiritual maturity. Our lives are rarely static,
• 34:03
  they move through different seasons and our spiritual
• 34:05
  practices, it seems, shouldn't be either.
• 34:08
  This brings us to the 5th and final suggestion.
• 34:10
  What's that about? Suggestion #5 is simply to keep
• 34:13
  it fresh. The idea here is that the way
• 34:15
  one practices private prayer can and should change for new
• 34:19
  seasons of life, New Years or months to maintain engagement
• 34:23
  and focus. Avoiding ruts.
• 34:24
  Exactly. Rigidity can lead to ritualism,
• 34:28
  where the practice becomes empty, but adaptability fosters
• 34:31
  a living, breathing relationship with God.
• 34:34
  Methods for introducing variety include writing out prayers with
• 34:37
  focus and care, which often connects to journaling.
• 34:41
  This can help structure thoughts and allow for reflection later.
• 34:44
  OK, writing them down. What else?
• 34:46
  Another method for keeping it fresh is sharpening affections
• 34:48
  in prayer through the discipline of fasting, which can intensify
• 34:51
  our spiritual focus and hunger for God.
• 34:54
  Taking a break from life's chaos with a special retreat for
• 34:57
  silence and solitude is also a powerful way to refresh our
• 35:01
  prayer life by intentionally removing daily distractions and
• 35:04
  pressures. Those sound like more intensive
• 35:05
  options. What about day-to-day freshness?
• 35:08
  Well, the author of one of our sources shares his current
• 35:10
  practice as an example. He begins with a brief prayer at
• 35:14
  the outset of devotional time. Like Father, please bless the
• 35:17
  reading of your words to my heart this morning.
• 35:20
  This is followed by reading and meditating on scripture and then
• 35:23
  transitioning into prayer based on that meditation of using the
• 35:26
  ACTS pattern. This approach is described as
• 35:29
  medication driven rather than list driven, ensuring that the
• 35:33
  prayers are rooted in God's immediate revelation rather than
• 35:36
  a predetermined agenda. Meditation driven, not list
• 35:39
  driven. I like.
• 35:40
  That, yeah. And the key here is
• 35:42
  adaptability. The habits of regular private
• 35:45
  prayer will naturally change in various seasons of life.
• 35:48
  Examples include keeping bulleted lists, detailed notes
• 35:51
  about prayers and answers, or typing daily prayers.
• 35:53
  Whatever serves the objective of keeping the conversation with
• 35:55
  God dynamic and heartfelt, always seeking to enjoy Him more
• 35:59
  fully. This truly reminds us that while
• 36:01
  the principles of private prayer are steadfast, our practical
• 36:04
  routines can adapt and grow with us, preventing staleness.
• 36:08
  It's about staying engaged with a living God who is always
• 36:10
  active in our lives. It certainly encourages us to
• 36:13
  continually seek new ways to enjoy God in prayer, always
• 36:17
  aiming for a heartfelt and genuine connection rather than a
• 36:20
  mere ritual. This keeps the relationship
• 36:22
  vibrant and ensures that our private prayer remains A vital
• 36:26
  and life giving part of our spiritual walk, a true
• 36:29
  conversation with our Father. So we've taken a deep dive into
• 36:32
  the true meaning of private prayer, from its roots in
• 36:35
  Jesus's teaching in Matthew 6, through its critical role as a
• 36:39
  test of spiritual integrity and a remedy for our spiritual
• 36:41
  needs, all the way to practical steps you can take to make it a
• 36:44
  more vibrant part of your daily walk.
• 36:47
  It's a practice that really defines our relationship with
• 36:49
  God. This discussion truly highlights
• 36:52
  that private prayer is an immensely personal and essential
• 36:55
  time between you and God. It is a privilege and a practice
• 36:58
  worthy of your careful attention and spiritual investment.
• 37:02
  It's where the truth of doctrine meet the reality of daily
• 37:04
  living, shaping your character and deepening your communion
• 37:08
  with the Divine. The sources affirm that
• 37:10
  cultivating regular habits of private prayer, adapting them
• 37:13
  through life seasons, leads to developing your own habits of
• 37:16
  grace for enjoying God in prayer.
• 37:18
  Right. Habits of grace.
• 37:20
  These aren't just routines, they are pathways to a fuller
• 37:23
  experience of God's presence. Indeed, as you consistently
• 37:27
  practice hearing God's voice in His Word and responding to Him
• 37:30
  in prayer, you will find your desires shaped, your faith
• 37:33
  strengthened, and your relationship with your Father
• 37:36
  growing beyond measure. This steady, secret communion is
• 37:40
  the engine of spiritual vitality, producing fruit that
• 37:43
  lasts. It's a quiet work that yields
• 37:46
  eternal dividends. And that for you, is the immense
• 37:49
  reward that comes from praying to your Father, who sees in
• 37:51
  secret. May you seek Him in that secret
• 37:53
  place, finding Him to be your greatest treasure, the One who
• 37:56
  truly satisfies your soul. Amen.
• 37:58
  Until next time, keep seeking, keep learning, and keep growing
• 38:01
  in grace. This has been the deep dive on
• 38:04
  reformed thinking.