For there is not a word in my tongue [still unuttered], but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

— Psalm 139:4 (AMPC)

Because we relate to God as individuals—and that’s the way He wants it—we pray as individuals. Even when we pray corporately with others, we are still individuals; we simply join our hearts with others as one voice. During these corporate prayer times, I believe God wants our hearts to be in unity much more than He wants our methods to be the same.

When we say, “Lord, teach me to pray,” we are asking Him to teach us to pray in a distinctly personal way and to enable our prayers to be easy, natural expressions of who we are. We are not supposed to check our individuality at the door of the prayer closet. We need to go to God just the way we are and give Him the pleasure of enjoying the company of the “original” He has made each of us to be. We need to approach God with our strengths, weaknesses, uniqueness, and everything else that so wonderfully distinguishes us from all the other people in the world. God enjoys meeting us where we are, developing a personal relationship with us, and helping us grow to become everything He wants us to be. It is refreshing to realize that we can come to God just as we are and be relaxed in His presence.

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, thank You for making me an individual and an original, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org