When we approach God in prayer, several elements must be in place; faith, holiness, gratitude, and humility; but above all, our motive must be right.
"𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸 [𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴] 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁, 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 [𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮], 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 [𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁] 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 [𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰] 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀." 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝟰:𝟯 𝗔𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲
It is possible to say one thing and believe another; we can pray the right words while harboring wrong intentions or desires. This is not how prayer is meant to be. In prayer, our words must align with our hearts. We must pray according to our motives. God cannot be moved by mere eloquence or emotion; He is moved by the sincerity of our hearts and the purity of our motives.