The mindset we have when approaching God is a crucial aspect of prayer that is often overlooked. Typically, we are taught to approach God honestly, without pretenses. This means we might come to Him with a heart full of negative emotions. But is approaching God in such a negative emotional state truly what it means to come as we are? Is that consistent with biblical teachings?
From a biblical perspective, approaching God as we are means coming to Him in faith. This involves being honest about our situation, not denying it. Some extremists, however, mistake faith in prayer for living in denial of reality. This is not correct and reflects a false approach to Christian prayer. To approach God in faith means to acknowledge His Mightiness over our , knowing that He is aware of our plight and willing to help. This helps us to have a right disposition of the heart so we can come to Him with peace and confidence, not anxiety or doubt.
The Apostle Paul teaches that:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Our prayers and petitions should be grounded in thanksgiving. We approach God with an understanding of who He is, and a proper knowledge of His nature naturally leads to thanksgiving. Besides knowing God’s will, this is one of the key factors that ensures our prayers are answered.
Moreover, this is a mature approach to petitioning God. Even if He does not grant our requests or delays them according to His will, we remain at peace with ourselves and Him. It is also the safest attitude in prayer because it protects us from the temptation to doubt God’s power, providence, and love.