There are lots of ways to pray. Sometimes we recite a prayer that we’ve been saying since we were practically on our mother’s laps; the Lord’s prayer is one that most of us know from our childhood. Other times, we say a spontaneous prayer about whatever comes to mind. A prayer of gratitude for a beautiful day can sometimes just flow out of us because of an abundance of joy. There is an exuberance that springs from simply being in the world. But there are also times when we just don’t feel like praying, and even then, we can offer up a prayer that reflects this, asking God to deliver us from our spiritual boredom or cantankerousness. The Psalms are in essence prayers, and many of them reflect the honest feelings of the psalmist, including despair, anger, and even a desire to see one’s enemies destroyed. There’s no reason to feel guilty about occasionally wanting to curse or otherwise say something that isn’t kind or charitable. An honest prayer is always acceptable to God. There is little doubt that He has heard worse.
