Transformational Prayer
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
Romans 12:2
What is wrong with how I pray?
For most of us, if someone had recorded our prayers and analyzed them, they would find something like this:
He didn't pray for the Ephesians to get better jobs, safer roads, or more comfortable lives. He prayed that they would be "strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner being, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith" and that they would "be filled with all the fullness of God."
He didn't pray for the Philippians to have fewer problems. He prayed that their "love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment."
He didn't pray for the Colossians to experience material prosperity. He prayed that they would be "filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" and "strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy."
Paul's prayers were almost entirely about transformation, not transaction.
- 80% of our prayers were about physical circumstances: health, finances, safety, logistics
- 15% were generic blessings: "God bless my family, help me be better"
- Maybe 5% touched on spiritual concerns: character growth, holiness, knowing God
He didn't pray for the Ephesians to get better jobs, safer roads, or more comfortable lives. He prayed that they would be "strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner being, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith" and that they would "be filled with all the fullness of God."
He didn't pray for the Philippians to have fewer problems. He prayed that their "love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment."
He didn't pray for the Colossians to experience material prosperity. He prayed that they would be "filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" and "strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy."
Paul's prayers were almost entirely about transformation, not transaction.
What is "transactional prayer"?
First, transactional prayer is crisis-driven. We pray when we need something. Our prayer life spikes during emergencies and flattens when things are going well. Prayer becomes the panic button we hit when life gets hard rather than the daily communion that sustains our souls.
Think about it: When do you pray most intensely? When you're sick. When you've lost your job. When your kid is in trouble. When you're facing a major decision. And there's nothing wrong with praying in those moments—God invites us to cast our anxieties on Him. But if those are the only times we pray with passion, what does that say about our relationship with God?
Second, transactional prayer focuses overwhelmingly on physical and material concerns.
Scripture doesn't forbid praying about physical needs. Jesus taught us to pray for daily bread. Paul says to make our requests known to God. But when physical concerns dominate our prayer life to the exclusion of spiritual concerns, we have a problem.
Third, transactional prayer is vague and generic. "God bless my family. Help me be a better person. Guide my decisions." These prayers are so nonspecific they could apply to anyone, anywhere, at any time. They require no meditation on Scripture, no wrestling with what God has revealed, no alignment with God's stated purposes.
Fourth, transactional prayer treats God as a means to an end. We want what God can give us more than we want God Himself. We're interested in His benefits more than His presence. We treat prayer like a business transaction: "I'll give you worship and obedience, God, and you give me health, wealth, and happiness."
Now, you might be thinking, "What's the problem? God cares about my circumstances. Why shouldn't I pray about them?" And you're right—God does care about your circumstances. But here's the issue: Transactional prayer leaves the pray-er fundamentally unchanged.
You can pray for safe travels for twenty years and never grow in courage or faith. You can pray for financial provision for a decade and never learn contentment or generosity. You can pray for your kids' success for their entire childhood and never actually pray for their souls.
Transactional prayer asks God to change the world to fit us, but it doesn't ask God to change us to fit His Kingdom.
Think about it: When do you pray most intensely? When you're sick. When you've lost your job. When your kid is in trouble. When you're facing a major decision. And there's nothing wrong with praying in those moments—God invites us to cast our anxieties on Him. But if those are the only times we pray with passion, what does that say about our relationship with God?
Second, transactional prayer focuses overwhelmingly on physical and material concerns.
Scripture doesn't forbid praying about physical needs. Jesus taught us to pray for daily bread. Paul says to make our requests known to God. But when physical concerns dominate our prayer life to the exclusion of spiritual concerns, we have a problem.
Third, transactional prayer is vague and generic. "God bless my family. Help me be a better person. Guide my decisions." These prayers are so nonspecific they could apply to anyone, anywhere, at any time. They require no meditation on Scripture, no wrestling with what God has revealed, no alignment with God's stated purposes.
Fourth, transactional prayer treats God as a means to an end. We want what God can give us more than we want God Himself. We're interested in His benefits more than His presence. We treat prayer like a business transaction: "I'll give you worship and obedience, God, and you give me health, wealth, and happiness."
Now, you might be thinking, "What's the problem? God cares about my circumstances. Why shouldn't I pray about them?" And you're right—God does care about your circumstances. But here's the issue: Transactional prayer leaves the pray-er fundamentally unchanged.
You can pray for safe travels for twenty years and never grow in courage or faith. You can pray for financial provision for a decade and never learn contentment or generosity. You can pray for your kids' success for their entire childhood and never actually pray for their souls.
Transactional prayer asks God to change the world to fit us, but it doesn't ask God to change us to fit His Kingdom.
What is "transformational prayer"?
Transformational prayer is Word-saturated, Spirit-empowered communion with God where the primary exchange is not goods for devotion, but the self for God Himself.
It's prayer that seeks first the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of self. Prayer that asks "Thy will be done" before "give us this day." Prayer that pursues holiness as passionately as it pursues healing.
Look at Ephesians 3:14-21. Paul writes:
“For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
What is Paul praying for? Spiritual strength. Christ's indwelling. Comprehension of divine love. Fullness of God.
Look at Philippians 1:9-11:
“And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”
What is Paul praying for? Abounding love. Spiritual discernment. Purity. Righteousness.
Look at Colossians 1:9-12:
“For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.”
What is Paul praying for? Knowledge of God's will. Worthy walk. Fruitfulness. Endurance. Patience.
Do you see the pattern? Paul prays for transformation, not transaction. He prays for character more than circumstances. For spiritual growth more than situational relief. For conformity to Christ more than comfort in life.
And here's what's remarkable: These are the prayers God loves to answer.
Why? Because they align perfectly with His purposes. God has already told us in Romans 8:29 that His goal is to conform us to the image of His Son. So when we pray for patience, for love, for holiness, for knowledge of God—we're asking for exactly what God wants to give.
It's prayer that seeks first the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of self. Prayer that asks "Thy will be done" before "give us this day." Prayer that pursues holiness as passionately as it pursues healing.
Look at Ephesians 3:14-21. Paul writes:
“For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
What is Paul praying for? Spiritual strength. Christ's indwelling. Comprehension of divine love. Fullness of God.
Look at Philippians 1:9-11:
“And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”
What is Paul praying for? Abounding love. Spiritual discernment. Purity. Righteousness.
Look at Colossians 1:9-12:
“For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.”
What is Paul praying for? Knowledge of God's will. Worthy walk. Fruitfulness. Endurance. Patience.
Do you see the pattern? Paul prays for transformation, not transaction. He prays for character more than circumstances. For spiritual growth more than situational relief. For conformity to Christ more than comfort in life.
And here's what's remarkable: These are the prayers God loves to answer.
Why? Because they align perfectly with His purposes. God has already told us in Romans 8:29 that His goal is to conform us to the image of His Son. So when we pray for patience, for love, for holiness, for knowledge of God—we're asking for exactly what God wants to give.
The Missing Link
Most Christians have a fatal gap in their spiritual lives. They read the Bible and then they pray about their day, but there's almost no connection between the two. They read Psalm 23 and then immediately pray, "God, help me find my keys and make my meeting go well." They read Romans 8 and then pray, "Lord, bless my family and keep us safe."
The problem isn't Bible reading. The problem isn't prayer. The problem is the missing bridge between the two: meditation.
The Puritans understood this. They wrote extensively about meditation as the essential practice that connects reading to living, knowing to doing, doctrine to doxology. Thomas Watson, a Puritan pastor, said: "The reason we come away so cold from reading the word is, because we do not warm ourselves at the fire of meditation."
Meditation is taking the truth you've read in Scripture and pressing it into your heart until your affections are stirred, your will is moved, and your prayers are shaped by it.
It's not speed-reading through three chapters to check a box. It's slowly pondering one verse, turning it over in your mind, asking what it reveals about God and about yourself, and then praying it back to God.
When you meditate on Scripture and then pray Scripture back to God, your prayers become transformational almost automatically.
Why? Because you're no longer imposing your agenda on God. You're letting His Word set the agenda for your prayers.
Here is a practical tool that is changing my prayer life and could change yours.
In 1535, Martin Luther wrote a letter to his barber teaching him how to pray. Luther said that when you read Scripture, you should twist it into a "garland of four strands" by asking four questions:
1. Instruction (The Schoolbook): What does this text teach me about God, His will, or the human condition?
Action: Praise God for this truth.
2. Thanksgiving (The Hymnbook): What specific gift or grace do I see here that I should thank God for?
Action: Thank God for the reality of this truth in your life.
3. Confession (The Hospital): How does this text confront my sin, expose my lack of faith, or reveal my disordered loves?
Action: Confess the specific failure to live up to this truth.
4. Petition (The Prayer Book): What do I need from God to make this truth real in my life?
Action: Ask for the Spirit to write this truth on your heart.
Let me show you how this works with a specific verse. John 15:5 — "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me."
Do you see what just happened? One verse became rich, personal, transformational prayer.
This is how you move from shallow, repetitive prayers to deep communion with God. This is how Scripture saturates your prayers. This is how transformation happens.
The problem isn't Bible reading. The problem isn't prayer. The problem is the missing bridge between the two: meditation.
The Puritans understood this. They wrote extensively about meditation as the essential practice that connects reading to living, knowing to doing, doctrine to doxology. Thomas Watson, a Puritan pastor, said: "The reason we come away so cold from reading the word is, because we do not warm ourselves at the fire of meditation."
Meditation is taking the truth you've read in Scripture and pressing it into your heart until your affections are stirred, your will is moved, and your prayers are shaped by it.
It's not speed-reading through three chapters to check a box. It's slowly pondering one verse, turning it over in your mind, asking what it reveals about God and about yourself, and then praying it back to God.
When you meditate on Scripture and then pray Scripture back to God, your prayers become transformational almost automatically.
Why? Because you're no longer imposing your agenda on God. You're letting His Word set the agenda for your prayers.
Here is a practical tool that is changing my prayer life and could change yours.
In 1535, Martin Luther wrote a letter to his barber teaching him how to pray. Luther said that when you read Scripture, you should twist it into a "garland of four strands" by asking four questions:
1. Instruction (The Schoolbook): What does this text teach me about God, His will, or the human condition?
Action: Praise God for this truth.
2. Thanksgiving (The Hymnbook): What specific gift or grace do I see here that I should thank God for?
Action: Thank God for the reality of this truth in your life.
3. Confession (The Hospital): How does this text confront my sin, expose my lack of faith, or reveal my disordered loves?
Action: Confess the specific failure to live up to this truth.
4. Petition (The Prayer Book): What do I need from God to make this truth real in my life?
Action: Ask for the Spirit to write this truth on your heart.
Let me show you how this works with a specific verse. John 15:5 — "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me."
- Instruction: God is the source of all life; I am utterly dependent on Him.
- Thanksgiving: "Thank you, Jesus, that you hold me and I don't have to hold myself. Thank you that my fruitfulness doesn't depend on my strength."
- Confession: "Forgive me for living today as if I were the vine—stressed, self-reliant, prayerless, trying to produce fruit through my own effort."
- Petition: "Lord, graft me deeper into You today. Let Your patience flow through me when I deal with my children. Let Your peace guard my heart in the chaos of my schedule."
Do you see what just happened? One verse became rich, personal, transformational prayer.
This is how you move from shallow, repetitive prayers to deep communion with God. This is how Scripture saturates your prayers. This is how transformation happens.
Luther’s “Garland of Four Strands”
Martin Luther believed most Christians struggled in prayer not because they lacked sincerity, but because they lacked structure. Our minds wander. Our requests shrink to the same short list. We rush in, talk at God, and leave unchanged.
In a 1535 letter to his barber, Peter Beskendorf, Luther laid out a practical method to help ordinary believers pray with depth and focus. He called it a “garland of four strands.” The image is simple: like weaving flowers into a wreath, you take a single passage of Scripture and braid four kinds of prayer together around it.
The four strands are Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, and Petition. This method is not mechanical. It is relational. It keeps prayer rooted in God’s Word and guards us from drifting into vague spirituality or self-centered requests. It trains us to respond to God, not just speak at Him.
Luther knew that prayer and Scripture belong together. He believed the Bible is not only something we read but something that reads us. When we slow down and meditate on a passage, it begins to expose our hearts, reveal God’s character, and reshape our desires. Without Scripture, prayer becomes thin. We repeat ourselves. We focus only on immediate needs. But when we pray through Scripture, our prayers gain depth, balance, and theological clarity. The “garland” is simply a way to help that happen.
1. Instruction: What is God teaching me here?
Begin by asking what the passage reveals about God, about human nature, or about the way He calls us to live. This is not a sermon outline. It is personal reflection. You are letting the text instruct you. Luther believed we should approach Scripture humbly, ready to be corrected and shaped. This first strand keeps prayer grounded in truth rather than emotion alone.
2. Thanksgiving: What can I thank God for in this passage?
Once you see what the text reveals, respond with gratitude. Thank God for His character. Thank Him for His promises. Thank Him for the ways this truth has already been at work in your life.
Gratitude softens the heart. It shifts prayer from duty to delight.
3. Confession: Where does this expose sin or weakness in me?
Scripture does not only comfort. It confronts. As the text shines light into your life, name specifically where you fall short. Confess unbelief, pride, fear, selfishness, or misplaced trust.
Luther emphasized specificity. General confession often avoids real repentance. Let the Word define the issue.
4. Petition: What does this passage lead me to ask God for?
Finally, turn the truth of the text into requests. Ask God to form in you what He commands. Ask Him to give what He promises. Ask Him to reshape your heart in light of what you have seen.
Now your requests are shaped by God’s priorities, not just your preferences.
Here is an example using Psalm 23.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Instruction
Lord, this verse teaches me that You are a shepherd. You are not distant or indifferent. You guide, protect, and provide. It also teaches me that true contentment is found in You. If You are my shepherd, I ultimately lack nothing that I truly need.
Thanksgiving
Thank You for shepherding me through seasons I did not understand. Thank You for providing for me again and again, even when I worried. Thank You that my security does not rest on my performance but on Your care.
Confession
I confess that I often live as though I do not trust You to provide. I chase security in money, approval, and control. I complain as if You have withheld good from me. I say You are my shepherd, but I act like I am alone.
Petition
Teach me to trust You more deeply. Guard my heart from anxiety and comparison. Help me rest in Your provision today. Lead me where You want me to go, even if the path feels uncertain.
You do not need a long passage. One verse is enough. The goal is not length but attentiveness. Over time, this pattern trains your heart. You begin to instinctively move from truth to gratitude, from conviction to dependence. The “garland of four strands” is simple, but it is deeply transformative. It turns Bible reading into conversation. And it helps prayer become what it was always meant to be: communion with the living God shaped by His own voice.
Martin Luther believed most Christians struggled in prayer not because they lacked sincerity, but because they lacked structure. Our minds wander. Our requests shrink to the same short list. We rush in, talk at God, and leave unchanged.
In a 1535 letter to his barber, Peter Beskendorf, Luther laid out a practical method to help ordinary believers pray with depth and focus. He called it a “garland of four strands.” The image is simple: like weaving flowers into a wreath, you take a single passage of Scripture and braid four kinds of prayer together around it.
The four strands are Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, and Petition. This method is not mechanical. It is relational. It keeps prayer rooted in God’s Word and guards us from drifting into vague spirituality or self-centered requests. It trains us to respond to God, not just speak at Him.
Luther knew that prayer and Scripture belong together. He believed the Bible is not only something we read but something that reads us. When we slow down and meditate on a passage, it begins to expose our hearts, reveal God’s character, and reshape our desires. Without Scripture, prayer becomes thin. We repeat ourselves. We focus only on immediate needs. But when we pray through Scripture, our prayers gain depth, balance, and theological clarity. The “garland” is simply a way to help that happen.
1. Instruction: What is God teaching me here?
Begin by asking what the passage reveals about God, about human nature, or about the way He calls us to live. This is not a sermon outline. It is personal reflection. You are letting the text instruct you. Luther believed we should approach Scripture humbly, ready to be corrected and shaped. This first strand keeps prayer grounded in truth rather than emotion alone.
2. Thanksgiving: What can I thank God for in this passage?
Once you see what the text reveals, respond with gratitude. Thank God for His character. Thank Him for His promises. Thank Him for the ways this truth has already been at work in your life.
Gratitude softens the heart. It shifts prayer from duty to delight.
3. Confession: Where does this expose sin or weakness in me?
Scripture does not only comfort. It confronts. As the text shines light into your life, name specifically where you fall short. Confess unbelief, pride, fear, selfishness, or misplaced trust.
Luther emphasized specificity. General confession often avoids real repentance. Let the Word define the issue.
4. Petition: What does this passage lead me to ask God for?
Finally, turn the truth of the text into requests. Ask God to form in you what He commands. Ask Him to give what He promises. Ask Him to reshape your heart in light of what you have seen.
Now your requests are shaped by God’s priorities, not just your preferences.
Here is an example using Psalm 23.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Instruction
Lord, this verse teaches me that You are a shepherd. You are not distant or indifferent. You guide, protect, and provide. It also teaches me that true contentment is found in You. If You are my shepherd, I ultimately lack nothing that I truly need.
Thanksgiving
Thank You for shepherding me through seasons I did not understand. Thank You for providing for me again and again, even when I worried. Thank You that my security does not rest on my performance but on Your care.
Confession
I confess that I often live as though I do not trust You to provide. I chase security in money, approval, and control. I complain as if You have withheld good from me. I say You are my shepherd, but I act like I am alone.
Petition
Teach me to trust You more deeply. Guard my heart from anxiety and comparison. Help me rest in Your provision today. Lead me where You want me to go, even if the path feels uncertain.
You do not need a long passage. One verse is enough. The goal is not length but attentiveness. Over time, this pattern trains your heart. You begin to instinctively move from truth to gratitude, from conviction to dependence. The “garland of four strands” is simple, but it is deeply transformative. It turns Bible reading into conversation. And it helps prayer become what it was always meant to be: communion with the living God shaped by His own voice.
The Lord's Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer is more than words to recite. It’s a pattern that teaches us how to pray. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He didn’t give them a lecture. He gave them a structure. Each line shapes our priorities and anchors our requests in God’s character. You can pray it slowly, line by line, expanding each phrase in your own words. Instead of rushing through it, let each section guide your conversation with God.
“Our Father in heaven”
Start with relationship. You are speaking to a Father, not a force. He is near and personal, yet in heaven. Take a moment to remember who you’re addressing. Let that shape your tone and your trust.
“Hallowed be Your name”
Begin with worship. Ask that God’s name would be honored in your life, your family, your church, and your city. Pray that your thoughts, decisions, and attitudes would reflect His holiness.
“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”
Align your heart with God’s purposes. This is where you surrender control. Pray for His reign to expand in your heart. Pray for justice, salvation, renewal. Ask Him to make you willing to obey even when it costs you.
“Give us this day our daily bread”
Bring your needs honestly. Jesus teaches us to ask for daily provision, not lifelong guarantees. Pray for practical needs. Trust Him for today. This keeps us dependent rather than self-sufficient.
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”
Confess your sins specifically. Receive His mercy. Then ask for grace to forgive those who have hurt you. This line reminds us that forgiven people forgive.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”
Acknowledge your weakness. Ask for protection. Pray for discernment, strength, and perseverance. Recognize that spiritual battles are real, and you are not meant to fight alone.
You can pray the Lord’s Prayer exactly as it is written, and that is good. But you can also use it as a framework. Move slowly. Let each phrase open up into personal prayer. Over time, you will find that it reshapes what you care about and how you ask.
The Lord’s Prayer teaches us that prayer begins with God’s glory, moves through God’s purposes, and only then centers on our needs. It reorders our hearts. And that is one of the greatest gifts Jesus could have given us.
The Lord’s Prayer is more than words to recite. It’s a pattern that teaches us how to pray. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He didn’t give them a lecture. He gave them a structure. Each line shapes our priorities and anchors our requests in God’s character. You can pray it slowly, line by line, expanding each phrase in your own words. Instead of rushing through it, let each section guide your conversation with God.
“Our Father in heaven”
Start with relationship. You are speaking to a Father, not a force. He is near and personal, yet in heaven. Take a moment to remember who you’re addressing. Let that shape your tone and your trust.
“Hallowed be Your name”
Begin with worship. Ask that God’s name would be honored in your life, your family, your church, and your city. Pray that your thoughts, decisions, and attitudes would reflect His holiness.
“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”
Align your heart with God’s purposes. This is where you surrender control. Pray for His reign to expand in your heart. Pray for justice, salvation, renewal. Ask Him to make you willing to obey even when it costs you.
“Give us this day our daily bread”
Bring your needs honestly. Jesus teaches us to ask for daily provision, not lifelong guarantees. Pray for practical needs. Trust Him for today. This keeps us dependent rather than self-sufficient.
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”
Confess your sins specifically. Receive His mercy. Then ask for grace to forgive those who have hurt you. This line reminds us that forgiven people forgive.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”
Acknowledge your weakness. Ask for protection. Pray for discernment, strength, and perseverance. Recognize that spiritual battles are real, and you are not meant to fight alone.
You can pray the Lord’s Prayer exactly as it is written, and that is good. But you can also use it as a framework. Move slowly. Let each phrase open up into personal prayer. Over time, you will find that it reshapes what you care about and how you ask.
The Lord’s Prayer teaches us that prayer begins with God’s glory, moves through God’s purposes, and only then centers on our needs. It reorders our hearts. And that is one of the greatest gifts Jesus could have given us.
Sermons on Prayer