--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We know that to become a Christian we…" description: "\"“We know that to become a Christian we shouldn’t try to fix ourselves up, but when it comes to praying we completely forget that. We’ll sing the old go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/paul-miller-36304_christian_we-know-that-to-become-a-christian-we-sh_413759.jpg" --- # We know that to become a Christian we shouldn’t try to fix… ![“We know that to become a Christian we shouldn’t try to fix ourselves up, but when it comes to praying we completely forget that. We’ll sing the old gospel hymn, “Just as I Am,” but when it comes to praying, we don’t come just as we are. We try, like adults, to fix ourselves up. Private, personal…” quote by Paul Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/paul-miller-36304_christian_we-know-that-to-become-a-christian-we-sh_413759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/paul-miller-36304_christian_we-know-that-to-become-a-christian-we-sh_413759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/paul-miller-36304_christian_we-know-that-to-become-a-christian-we-sh_413759.jpg) > ““We know that to become a Christian we shouldn’t try to fix ourselves up, but when it comes to praying we completely forget that. We’ll sing the old gospel hymn, “Just as I Am,” but when it comes to praying, we don’t come just as we are. We try, like adults, to fix ourselves up. Private, personal prayer is one of the last great bastions of legalism. In order to pray like a child, you might need to unlearn the nonpersonal, nonreal praying that you’ve been taught.”” [Paul Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that prayer should be approached with childlike honesty, not with rehearsed, self‑improving rituals that feel legalistic. **In simple terms:** Prayer should be sincere, not polished. Key Takeaway Pray authentically, shedding pretenses. Themes faith prayer authenticity spirituality Mood reflective contemplative Type spiritual advice When to use this quote - personal worship - spiritual retreats - quiet reflection - church services Key Concepts legalism childlike faith unlearning Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice prayer without self‑editing? - What does praying “as you are” feel like? A Different Perspective It may be hard to abandon ingrained habits of formal prayer. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) ## Related quotes > [Most of us wait until we're in trouble, and then we pray like the dickens. 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Our prayer can and should arise above all from our heart, from our needs, our hopes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/praying-actualizes-and-deepens-our-communion-with-god-our-prayer-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My religious training told me that in times of personal uncertainty one should seek God's direction through personal prayer and study of the Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-manning/my-religious-training-told-me-that-in-times-of-personal-uncertainty/) [Preston Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-manning/) > [Personal prayer, it seems to me, is one of the simplest necessities of life, as basic to the individual as sunshine, food and water-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/personal-prayer-it-seems-to-me-is-one-of-the-simplest-necessities-of/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Offer Christ your heart in meditation and personal prayer which is the foundation of the spiritual life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/offer-christ-your-heart-in-meditation-and-personal-prayer-which-is/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [My personal prayer is simply my joy to be alive, and to live in gratitude and generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/my-personal-prayer-is-simply-my-joy-to-be-alive-and-to-live-in/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [I pray without ceasing now. My personal prayer is: Make me an instrument which only truth can speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/i-pray-without-ceasing-now-my-personal-prayer-is-make-me-an/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [Through personal prayer, through family prayer, by trusting in God with faith, nothing wavering, we can call down to our rescue His mighty power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/through-personal-prayer-through-family-prayer-by-trusting-in-god-with/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [“Jesus says, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-miller/jesus-says-you-hypocrite-first-take-the-log-out-of-your-own-eye-and/) [Paul Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller/) > [“God also cheers when we come to him with our wobbling, unsteady prayers. 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They seldom get it right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-miller/little-children-never-get-frozen-by-their-selfishness-like-the/) [Paul Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller/) > [Learning to pray doesnt offer us a less busy life; it offers us a less busy heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-miller/learning-to-pray-doesnt-offer-us-a-less-busy-life-it-offers-us-a-less/) [Paul Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller/) > [“Loving means losing control of our schedule, our money, and our time. When we love we cease to be the master and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-miller/loving-means-losing-control-of-our-schedule-our-money-and-our-time/) [Paul Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller/) > [“God also cheers when we come to him with our wobbling, unsteady prayers. 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When we cherish someone, we combine looking and compassion—we notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-miller/when-i-think-of-how-jesus-loved-people-the-word-cherish-comes-to-mind/) [Paul Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller/) [Explore all 13 Paul Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller/) ## More Christian quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. 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I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We know that to become a Christian we shouldn’t try to fix ourselves up, but when it comes to praying we completely forget that. We’ll sing the old gospel hymn, “Just as I Am,” but when it comes to praying, we don’t come just as we are. We try, like adults, to fix ourselves up. Private, personal prayer is one of the last great bastions of legalism. 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