“Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.” – Isaiah 65:24

Many different people pray in many different ways. Some recite popular prayers, some just talk to God about their day, and some sing to the Lord. What is the proper way though?

The proper way is in whatever way you want to. The important part of prayer is that it comes from your heart. If you want to sing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and feel that is the best way to connect to God, then God is there to listen. If you just want to pray a prayer for protection, then God is there to listen. If you want to just take a moment to say “Hi, Jesus. Love you.” as you are going about your day, then God is there to listen. If you are angry or frustrated and want to vent, God is there to listen.

Ultimately, you’d want to pray prayers in submission to God’s Will. You’d want to take into consideration His holiness. You’d want to know the right thing to say and why you were feeling that way. You’d want to pray with love and faith as the driving force behind your words.

But at the end of the day, the most important and maybe the only thing that truly matters is that it comes from your heart (you are being honest to yourself and God). This is what I believe.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” – Psalm 145:18

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” – 1 Samuel 16:7