I wonder sometimes what motivates our prayers and how we justify some of them. It’s something I’ve been aware of lately. I think God is taking me a step deeper with him. Of course, he wants me to take everything to him, regardless of my reason or attitude. But when he reveals the truth underneath what I’m sharing, I glimpse the truth of a situation and shift my focus, both in and out of prayer.

It helps to ask, “What’s at the core of my prayer?” We can nearly always identify something positive, such as, compassion or hope. But if we’re honest, we might also find twinges of fear, jealousy, or bitterness.

What if we trusted God with our prayers, not just answering them but filtering them and pointing out how we can grow through the process? It’s not about refining our prayers as much as refining us.

When we glimpse our motivation, we get a snapshot of our expectations of and belief in God. By letting God keep us in check, we invite him into our lives more completely, and there is less of us and more of him.

We grow as we yield.

Don’t over-analyze your prayers. Just talk with God. But do so with a vulnerability and willingness to grow and go deeper with him.