Wish Prayers -> Wholehearted Prayers

“Uggg.” My car’s map light had been on for an entire 10+ hour shift.
I hope you start. I glowered at the car and hesitated turning the engine key. Look, you already prayed so… I tried psyching myself up.
“No, you didn’t pray.” Another voice inside my head interrupted. That voice was right. I wished. I didn’t pray.
Our culture may think differently, but prayer is not a vague hope made to “the universe” and whatever powers may (or may not) be. Prayer is not positive thoughts about a person, decision or situation.
Too often we think about “them” or have strong feelings about “this” and are deceived into thinking, “Oh yeah, I prayed about ‘that’.”
We affirmed our own thinking. We sought our own counsel. We made ourselves feel warm and fuzzy. But…we didn’t pray.
Prayer is intentional, personal conversation with God. If I never purposefully brought the person before my Savior, I didn’t pray for them. If I never discussed those decisions with my Lord, I didn’t pray about them. If I never entrusted my circumstances to my Master, I didn’t pray about it.
But I can fix that, right now.
“Okay, God.” I looked at the ceiling of my car. “Please help this car start.” I pushed the key away from me and I heard the familiar purr of my ancient engine. I sighed. “Thank you, Lord.”