One thing that has made prayer irksome to many of us is the strained, unnatural attitude into which we place ourselves when praying. I am not speaking of bodily attitude, but of the spirit. I feel most comfortable in the presence of the friend who understands me; before whom I can be simply myself without fear of being unkindly criticized or misunderstood; who appreciates, sympathizes, thinks, and feels with me; and I call him "congenial." There are others in whose company I feel more or less constrained and cramped. I am, in fact, not quite myself when I am in their company, but assume, unintentionally, a more or less artificial attitude. This latter kind of association soon grows wearisome. The fault, indeed, lies with us in such a case, but the fact remains that we are burdened and bored. Now here is the [192] strange thing. Most of us, when we go to God in prayer, try to force ourselves into an artificial attitude of heart, and are, consequently, very glad to get through and done with it. We have an idea that we must be awfully good when speaking to God; and we "put on," forgetting the while that God knows us anyhow, and we can't "make impressions" on him anyway. If he does not receive me "just as I am," he would of a certainty not accept me when I am in a false attitude before him. So it is a great thing for us to take this lesson: You can be just yourself with God, without being in the least cramped or constrained. What were the use of being otherwise? And God appreciates it. He would have us lay our hearts open before him and show him our unworthiest thought and tendency, that he may heal us. Go to him and say: "Lord, I have no claims to make. I am this and that. In my self-deceit I hardly know when I am sincere. I do not know even now as I pray whether I am wholly sincere; but here is my heart with all its failings, and my help is in thee alone." Such a plea, when based on the blood of Jesus, is effectual--infinitely more so than empty profession and vain praise of God that is not from the heart.

[TAG 192-193]