--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Accordingly, I believe the most adequate…" description: "\"“Accordingly, I believe the most adequate description of prayer is simply, “Talking to God about what we are doing together.” That immediately focuses ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/dallas-willard-819_prayer_accordingly-i-believe-the-most-adequate_933404.jpg" --- # Accordingly, I believe the most adequate description of… ![“Accordingly, I believe the most adequate description of prayer is simply, “Talking to God about what we are doing together.” That immediately focuses the activity where we are but at the same time drives the egotism out of it. Requests will naturally be made in the course of this conversational…” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/dallas-willard-819_prayer_accordingly-i-believe-the-most-adequate_933404.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/dallas-willard-819_prayer_accordingly-i-believe-the-most-adequate_933404.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc9/dallas-willard-819_prayer_accordingly-i-believe-the-most-adequate_933404.jpg) > ““Accordingly, I believe the most adequate description of prayer is simply, “Talking to God about what we are doing together.” That immediately focuses the activity where we are but at the same time drives the egotism out of it. Requests will naturally be made in the course of this conversational walk. Prayer is a matter of explicitly sharing with God my concerns about what he too is concerned about in my life. And of course he is concerned about my concerns and, in particular, that my concerns should coincide with his. This is our walk together. Out of it I pray.”” [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer is a collaborative dialogue with God, aligning concerns and reducing ego. **In simple terms:** Prayer is a shared conversation with God. Key Takeaway Pray as a partnership, not a monologue. Themes spirituality humility relationship Mood contemplative hopeful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal devotions - group worship - counseling sessions Key Concepts theology conversational prayer Questions to Reflect On - How does shared prayer change personal motives? - Can this view reshape communal worship? A Different Perspective May be challenging for those unused to shared vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Talking to god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-to-god/) ## Related quotes > [Prayer is simply talking to God like a friend and should be the easiest thing we do each day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/prayer-is-simply-talking-to-god-like-a-friend-and-should-be-the/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“For many of us prayer means nothing more than speaking with God. And since it usually seems to be a quite one-sided affair, prayer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/for-many-of-us-prayer-means-nothing-more-than-speaking-with-god-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“God. Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul (Psalm 25:1). What a beautiful description of prayer that is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknown-christian/god-unto-thee-o-lord-do-i-lift-up-my-soul-psalm-25-1-what-a-beautiful/) Unknown Christian > [If we would pray aright, the first thing we should do is to see to it that we really get an audience with God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-torrey/if-we-would-pray-aright-the-first-thing-we-should-do-is-to-see-to-it/) [R. A. Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-torrey/) > [In my time, talking to a girl was like talking to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milkha-singh/in-my-time-talking-to-a-girl-was-like-talking-to-god/) [Milkha Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milkha-singh/) > [“Prayer, for the Christian, is not merely talking to God, but responding to the One who has initiated toward us. He has spoken first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mathis/prayer-for-the-christian-is-not-merely-talking-to-god-but-responding/) [David Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mathis/) > [Prayer begins by talking to God, but it ends by listening to Him. In the face of Absolute Truth, silence is the soul's language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/prayer-begins-by-talking-to-god-but-it-ends-by-listening-to-him-in/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Some of my students have had really bad experiences with religion. They moved away from talking to God. For a lot of people, angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/some-of-my-students-have-had-really-bad-experiences-with-religion/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [Some people keep God in a Sunday morning box and say, 'Hey, I did my religious duty.' That's fine, but the scripture says to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/some-people-keep-god-in-a-sunday-morning-box-and-say-hey-i-did-my/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Talking to God should be part of every aspect of life, in times of peace as well as in every battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormie-omartian/talking-to-god-should-be-part-of-every-aspect-of-life-in-times-of/) [Stormie Omartian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormie-omartian/) > [Sometimes at night, when I wake up real late, I can hear my dad talking to God. He whispers, but I still hear him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lemire/sometimes-at-night-when-i-wake-up-real-late-i-can-hear-my-dad-talking/) [Jeff Lemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lemire/) > [“Praying is talking to God. Meditating is listening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/praying-is-talking-to-god-meditating-is-listening/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Believe me, once you lose a kid in a New York City park, atheist or not, you start talking to God right away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/believe-me-once-you-lose-a-kid-in-a-new-york-city-park-atheist-or-not/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“Ψ Some say that prayer is talking to God while meditation is listening to Him. Works for me. Ψ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-dillon/some-say-that-prayer-is-talking-to-god-while-meditation-is-listening/) [Doug Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-dillon/) > [Start calling yourself healed, happy, whole, blessed, and prosperous. Stop talking to God about how big your mountains are, and start talking to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/start-calling-yourself-healed-happy-whole-blessed-and-prosperous-stop/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) ## More by Dallas Willard > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Sabbath is a way of life (Heb 4:3; 9-11). It is simply "casting all your anxiety on Him," to find that in actual fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/sabbath-is-a-way-of-life-heb-4-3-9-11-it-is-simply-casting-all-your/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We know we can't be spiritually transformed by just focusing on the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-know-we-can-t-be-spiritually-transformed-by-just-focusing-on-the/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [My central claim is that we become like Christ by doing one thing-by following Him in the overall style of life He chose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/my-central-claim-is-that-we-become-like-christ-by-doing-one-thing-by/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons, with Himself included in that community as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-god-in-history-is-the-creation-of-an-all-inclusive/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [What we can do with these means (our own unassisted strength) is still very small compared to what we could do in acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-we-can-do-with-these-means-our-own-unassisted-strength-is-still/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) [Explore all 357 Dallas Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## More Prayer quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [“Worship Me Like the Goddess I Am or There Will Be Some Serious Smiting." Jubilee”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/worship-me-like-the-goddess-i-am-or-there-will-be-some-serious/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [“Dear Lord, thank You for answered prayers and humans who do Your work here on earth. Please send Your comfort to all the animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/dear-lord-thank-you-for-answered-prayers-and-humans-who-do-your-work/) Guideposts > [Therefore, brethren, pray until God gives us revelation so that "knowing this" in our spirit we may truly confess "that our old man has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/therefore-brethren-pray-until-god-gives-us-revelation-so-that-knowing/) [Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/) > [“The aristocratic interiority is centered on the higher mind, the mens, the ajna chakra, the seat of intellect and intuition that commands the lower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-evola/the-aristocratic-interiority-is-centered-on-the-higher-mind-the-mens/) [Julius Evola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-evola/) > [My father thrives on fear. You know that prayer If I should die before I wake? I had sheets that said that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/my-father-thrives-on-fear-you-know-that-prayer-if-i-should-die-before/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [You should never stress and worry when you can always pray and have Faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-never-stress-and-worry-when-you-can-always-pray-and-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God loves to glorify himself by suspending his gifts and blessings on our asking him for them. We should never presume to receive from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-storms/god-loves-to-glorify-himself-by-suspending-his-gifts-and-blessings-on/) [Sam Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-storms/) [Browse all 12,671 Prayer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Accordingly, I believe the most adequate description of prayer is simply, “Talking to God about what we are doing together.” That immediately focuses the activity where we are but at the same time drives the egotism out of it. Requests will naturally be made in the course of this conversational walk. Prayer is a matter of explicitly sharing with God my concerns about what he too is concerned about in my life. And of course he is concerned about my concerns and, in particular, that my concerns should coincide with his. This is our walk together. 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