Go To Your Room And Close The Door

There are times when Christians need to pray publicly, but most of time our prayers are to be done in secret without any distractions from the outside world. In this way, we are not tempted to go off track by praying to please others instead of praying to please God with the wisdom of His Holy Spirit.

"But when you pray,

go into your room,

close the door

and pray to your Father,

who is unseen.

Then your Father,

who sees what is done in secret,

will reward you."

Matthew 6:6 (NIV)

Many times I have been asked to pray a certain way by others when in my heart I knew that wasn't the way God would have me pray. I sometimes then fall in temptation, pray publicly against God's will, and repent later when I go to my room, close the door, and pray for the need in private.

Here are some examples I have personally come across:

• Being asked to pray for a married couple's separation or divorce to go smoothly when, in my heart, I know I am to pray for reconciliation and restoration for the marriage instead.
• Being asked to pray for wisdom of a doctor in treating a patient when I really desire to pray for a miraculous healing from God instead.
• Being asked to pray for God to give a person a new husband or wife, even though that person is divorced and "unreconcilable differences," not infidelity, was stated as the cause. I instead pray that God will be sufficient to meet all the person's needs.
• Being asked to pray for God to provide a woman pastor with the money to buy a church building so that she can venture out on her own in ministry, even though she blatantly ignores her husband so much that nobody even knows who he is. My heart is directed towards her husband and their marriage, but I am pressured to pray in another direction.

I could give more examples, but I am sure you get my point. Praying with the heart of God and according to His will can be very difficult in public. We are tempted too much to pray before man instead of God. That is why God tells us to go to our rooms, close the doors, and pray without being seen by anyone but Him.