Okay, so today I dug into Matthew 6:7. I’ve been trying to revamp my prayer life, make it less… repetitive, I guess. So I started by, you know, actually reading the verse. Not just skimming, but reading it.
“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”
That “vain repetitions” part smacked me right in the face. I realized I’d been basically reciting the same phrases over and over, almost like a script. Not really connecting, just… saying words.
My Experiment
- First, I grabbed my journal. I find it easier to process stuff when I write it down.
- Second, I just started free-writing. No structure, no “Dear God,” just whatever was on my mind. Worries about work, excitement about an upcoming trip, even that annoying thing my neighbor did. Just dumped it all out.
- Then, I went back and looked for the themes. What was I really concerned about? What was I grateful for? It was all buried in that mess of words.
- Finally, I tried praying again, but this time, focused. Instead of rattling off requests, I talked about those core themes. It felt… different. More genuine, less like a robot.
It’s still a work in progress. Old habits die hard, you know? But I’m trying to be more mindful, to really connect when I pray, instead of just going through the motions. It’s about having a conversation, not reciting a list. Feeling pretty good about this new direction, though.
