Matthew 6:5-8
“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.”
This passage is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, a collection of his ethical teachings given to his disciples and a larger crowd. Here, Jesus is instructing his followers on how to practice religious devotion—specifically prayer, but also giving and fasting—in a way that focuses on their relationship with God rather than on public display.
What adjustments might I make in my approach to prayer to foster a deeper, more private connection with the divine?