Sincere heart, Brokenness, Humility

Masters excel at the fundamentals. Many assume that greatness stems from complex or obscure methods, but the truth is remarkable individuals often master the basics with extraordinary precision. The late Kobe Bryant, for instance, didn’t rely on having the biggest body, the strongest arms, or the fastest feet. He thrived because he was a hardworking student of the game, relentlessly perfecting the fundamentals. Similarly, Mike Tyson wasn’t just a powerhouse in the ring his greatness came from countless hours spent refining basic footwork, head movement, and angles.

When it comes to prayer, there are some seemingly simple yet life changing truths to know and practice.

I once heard a man of God share a story about his daughter. She had written him a card where the word "daddy" was misspelled and scattered all over the place. It wasn’t the most beautiful card, but he said it was far more precious to him than any Hallmark card simply because it came from his daughter.

This illustrated a profound truth. it’s easy to worry about things like eloquence, posture, tone, or finding the "right" words in prayer. While these have their place, what matters most is the sincerity of your heart. You’re speaking to your Father and he cares more about you meaning what you say and pouring out your heart than about perfection in delivery.

Before learning about "keys" for answered prayers, remember that motives matter to God. Prayer is not about finding the right password to unlock answers. That perspective misses the point entirely. While people may hear what you say, God hears what you don’t say. He looks at the heart.

Isaiah 29:13 ESV

And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

It’s possible to draw near to God with your lips while your heart remains distant. To those listening, you may sound deeply spiritual, but utterance alone doesn’t reflect true closeness to God. I’ve had moments in prayer where I caught myself just blurting out words without truly meaning them, so I understand how easy it is to fall into this habit. That’s why it’s important to intentionally call yourself back to ensuring your heart is engaged in prayer.

One of the primary purposes of prayer is to pour out your soul before the Lord. As your lips speak, your heart is also communicating. The most important prayer posture is not physical but the posture of the heart. Eloquence means little without sincerity (James 5:16b).

Psalm 51:17b ESV

A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Phrases like "God abeg" and "God help me, na die I dey," though often trivialized, can actually be profound prayers. They express a deep awareness that without God’s intervention, we are powerless. This is an honest reflection of a contrite heart.

Scripture reminds us that the race is not to the swift, nor is victory achieved by sheer will power. If you truly recognize that you’ve only made it this far by God’s mercy, prayer becomes second nature. Nobody will need to remind you to pray.

It’s only wise to live according to the design of the One who gave you life. Prayer allows us to discover His plans and align ourselves with His ways.

We fail to be as prayerful as we should because we’re not as thoughtful as we should be. In a generation that has a strong entitlement mindset, we must return to the understanding of our helplessness without God.

2 Corinthians 3:5 ESV

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God

If you can go days without prayer, it reveals a sense of self-sufficiency and that may be the root of the issue. No technique or strategy will truly make you pray because at its core the problem lies in the heart. Prayer requires humility. There has to be a recognition that you are completely dependent on God and a decision not to navigate life without involving Him.

Luke 18:1 ESV

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Prayer is a lifeline of spiritual survival. Your prayer life is like a vital sign. You might look fine on the outside but still not be okay spiritually. One way to assess your spiritual health is by examining your prayer life. If you can go three days without praying, something is wrong. The Creator Himself said man must pray. The moment prayer begins to fade from your life, sound the alarm and do whatever it takes to restore it.

For the first time, I’d like to include song links in my post. I believe these two Kaestrings songs beautifully capture the heart of this letter.