Don’t force your prayers

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion
(Ephesians 6:18; NLT). 

1. Don’t force your prayers –
Just be yourself,
And let the Spirit speak.
Remember:
God loves honesty,
And doesn’t want technique.

2. Pour out your heart
To God within –
Use many words, or few.
Remember:
He loves honesty,
So only say what’s true.

3. God knows what’s in
Your mind and heart;
He knows what’s in your soul.
He listens, cares,
And weeps upon your wounds
To make you whole.

He bruises, but he binds up; he wounds, but his hands make whole
(Job 5:18; NKJV).

References 

1. The Spirit, too, comes to help us in our weakness. For we don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit expresses our plea with groanings too deep for words. And God, who knows everything in our hearts, knows perfectly well what the Spirit is saying, because her intercessions for God’s holy people are made according to the mind of God (Romans 8:26-7; TIB).

You desire honesty from the womb (Psalm 51:6; NLT).

2. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge (Psalm 62:8; NLT).

You are the temple of the living God (Luke 17:21; NKJV). 

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

Pray about everything (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long. Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:7-8; GNT).

Let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:2; NLT).

Be silent before the Lord (Zechariah 2:13; NLT). 

3. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely (Psalm 139:4; NIV).

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; NIV).

If you say, “Look here, we didn’t know about this,” doesn’t God, who examines motives, discern it? Doesn’t the one who guards your soul know about it? (Proverbs 24:12; ISV). 

This is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us (1 John 5:14; ISV).

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7; NLT). 

In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).