Matthew 6:5-6
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received
their reward in full.  6  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your
Father, who is unseen. Then your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

When Jesus was referring to the hypocrites, he was talking about the religious leaders. When
they would pray, they were seeking approval of others. They wanted the people around them to
think they were holy and very religious, so that they would be held in high regard. Jesus pushes
back in this piece of scripture and then reminds us of prayers actual purpose. It isn’t about being
heard (even though it can be beneficial to hear someone pray when you haven’t done so
yourself). Do as Jesus says and find a place away from others and away from distractions, so
you can focus on the time you have with God. Right after Jesus says this, he actually shows the
disciples how to pray by giving an example. Feel free to look of that verse starting in Matt 6:9.

1. How does the way you pray affect your prayer?
2. In what ways can we pray for attention?
3. What is the purpose of prayer?
4. What are some things that are distracting you from this time with God?


Write out a prayer, instead of just saying it out loud to change things up.