How much do our prayers reflect what is in our hearts? Are our prayers mainly for ourselves or for others.? We have so many wants and needs, there will always be problems and worries for the day ahead and the easing of aches and pain. E-mails, phone calls and the post will throw up further difficulties. Our prayer requests are endless. Suddenly the time we have allowed for prayer is over.
Then when will we be able to pray for those in need? When is the opportunity to pray for our needy neighbours, our sick relatives or the fragile political state of the world? Our prayers reflect the state of our hearts; are they selfish and inward-looking?. I have found a way of coping with this problem. During the night when I wake up i use this time of wakefulness to pray for others. I have a daily list for those who need my prayers, mostly for people who have still to come and love the Lord. Then I pray for those I know who have problems and finally I cast my mind back over the previous day and pray for those I had contact with.
Of course, I drift back to sleep during these times but as I re-awake I continue praying. I don’t feel it is wrong to have interrupted prayer in this way. During the night my prayers are always for others, never for myself. This ensures that others do get prayed for, I can always pray for myself at any time during the day. I don’t want a selfish heart.