Have you ever thought you had a problem with prayer?  I will confess that I have.

I just came across this from Richard Foster on one kind of prayer problem –

Our problem is that we assume prayer is something to master the way we master algebra or auto mechanics. That puts us in the “on-top” position, where we are competent and in control. But when praying, we come “underneath,” where we calmly and deliberately surrender control and become incompetent… The truth of the matter is, we all come to prayer with a tangled mass of motives altruistic and selfish, merciful and hateful, loving and bitter. Frankly, this side of eternity we will never unravel the good from the bad, the pure from the impure. God is big enough to receive us with all our mixture. That is what grace means, and not only are we saved by it, we live by it as well. And we pray by it.

How far have you succeeded at mastering prayer?  How far have you succeeded at surrendering control?

Is our attachment to success one of the problems?

What questions does Foster’s comment provoke for you?  What does his comment lead you to consider about praying?