Praying

Christ gave specific instructions on how to pray (Matthew 6:5); pray in private essentially praising God, thanking him for your existence and sustenance, remembering to forgive your enemies, and asking God to protect you from your own tendency to do evil and from the evil one but never forget that God's will is paramount; even Christ, when he prayed to God to "let this cup pass from me,'' added "yet not my will but yours be done." Further, it is pointed out in Luke 18:1-8 that we must persist; keep honoring, keep praying, keep thanking God for all that he does for you and has promised to do for you. When a situation arises that makes it appropriate to pray in front of others, as when we are in church or in a restaurant thanking God for a meal in public, be sure of your motivation; we pray to honor God, not to look pious.