Prayerful Thoughts

A couple weeks back I recognized something with my children's prayers. They were hurried, short, repetitive, and not very thoughtful. I thought, "Man! What is up with my kids?" Later that night I was saying prayers with the Hubby and I recognized where I had gone wrong. Our prayers had gotten hurried, short, repetitive and not very thoughtful. You teach by example whether want to or not, and kids pick up on things...FAST!

Over the last couple of weeks I have been studying some chapters in Alma for my religion class, 30-35 to be exact. In these chapters there is a lot of talk about faith and prayer. Those have to be related right? One does not pray (with sincerity) without faith, and one does not have faith without sincere prayer.

In Alma 31:27 it reads,

 "Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up,even to greatness, with the vain things of the world."

This is Alma and the Zoramites. Alma hears the Zoramites "vain repetitions", how great and wonderful they think they are and this was part of Alma's thoughts and prayer.

When I read this I knew I wasn't that bad, but I wasn't doing very well either. So, this is how I read it, "Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are distracted, Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are fighting with their kids to be reverent, even to the point of making them cry, and they quickly end the prayer so they can send their kids to bed or quickly feed the crying baby or run out the door for work or some meeting they are late for."

Now, I hope you laugh at least a little because this is true in your house too (please tell me it is). My point is these prayers were lacking more than just reverence they were lacking a great amount of faith. It doesn't take any faith to just say words in a prayer, but it does take faith to be sincere when you pray. 

I know my Heavenly Father loves me and for me to really be able to feel and be aware of that love I need to pray with FAITH, SINCERITY, LOVE, and WITH MY WHOLE HEART.