Scripture: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."--Romans 8:26
"Turning to God according to the inward feeling, want and motion of your own heart, in love, in trust, in faith of having from Him all that you want and wish to have—this turning unto God, whether it be with or without words, is the best form of prayer in the world. For prayers not formed according to the real state of your heart, are but like a prayer to be pulled out of a deep well when you are not in it.
"When the heart really pants and longs after God, its prayer is a praying moved and animated by the Spirit of God; it is the breath or inspiration of God, stirring, moving and opening itself in the heart. It is a certain truth that nothing ever did, or can have, the least desire or tendency to ascend to heaven but that which came down from heaven. And therefore every time a good desire stirs in the heart, a good prayer goes out of it that reaches God as being the fruit and work of His Holy Spirit.
"It is when the heart stands continually in this state of wishing to have that which may be expressed in but few words—it is the Reality, the Steadiness and the Continuity of the desire that is the goodness and perfection of the prayer.
"You have already rightly taken the first step in the spiritual life; you have devoted yourself absolutely to God, to live wholly to His will, under the light and guidance of His Holy Spirit. Your next step is this, a looking to the continuance of this first resolution and donation of yourself to God. Now this second step can¬not be taken but purely by prayer; nothing else has the least power here but prayer, prayer of the heart, a prayer of your own, proceeding from the state of your heart and its tendency towards God. Of all things, look to this prayer of the heart; consider it an infallible guide to heaven. As a man who has some great worldly matter at heart stands turned from everything that has not some relation to it, so our heart will carry on its own state of prayer as soon as God is its great object, or it is wholly given up to Him as its one great Good."
Our times of prayer are meant to lead us on to a life of prayer, in which, just as the eye can all the day rejoice in the sunshine which gives it light, the heart will continually live and rejoice in God's presence. Let us believe that God, Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, is indeed able and willing by the power of His Holy Spirit, to strengthen us for this life of unceasing prayer as we walk in the light of His countenance.
