Is it wrong to pray when you are inside your blankets sleeping, when sitting on your bed, or when you are busy with something else? What is the appropriate way when it comes to praying?
Prayer is a grand privilege that belongs to every child of God. We can pray to the Lord anytime, day or night. We read in Psalms 121:4, “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP.” Anytime we lift our voices and hearts to the Lord, we have His attention! He never sleeps and is always ready to hear from us. Like I said, it is a grand privilege.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to, “Pray without ceasing.” The Amplified Bible translates it like this, “Be unceasing and persistent in prayer.” Of course, we cannot pray 24 hours per day. We learn from this verse that we should be constantly in the attitude of prayer. At a moment’s notice, we should be able to approach the throne of grace and pour out our hearts to the Lord. When we have this ‘prayer attitude’ we will find ourselves praying at work, while driving, while shopping, etc. Anywhere we call upon the name of the Lord, He will be listening.
For an example of the right way and the wrong way to pray, let’s read Luke 18:10-14, “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” The Pharisees during the time of our Lord on the earth, were largely proud and hypocritical. In the prayer of this Pharisee, we see his pride showing through. His attention is largely on himself. He compares himself favorably against others. He even compares himself to the publican that was standing right beside him. Although he thanks the Lord with words, in his heart he really thanked himself! He brags to the Lord about how he tithes twice a week. In his prayer, the Lord said he that he “exalteth himself.” The publican, on the other hand, is an example of the ‘right way’ to pray. He humbled himself before the Lord (would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven). He had a contrite spirit (smote upon his breast). He was repentant towards the Lord (God be merciful to me a sinner).
Does it matter where we pray? Yes and No. You mentioned praying while inside your blanket. If this tends to make you sleepy to the point that you cannot concentrate on your prayer, then you should get out of bed before you begin to pray. What about praying while you are doing something else at the same time? You need to be in a situation where you can give the Lord your undivided attention. We read of the Lord in Matthew 14:23, “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” In the actions of the Lord, we see the value of getting away from everything and everyone for times of private prayer. This would be the appropriate way to pray…away from anything that might cause you to fall asleep and from anything that would distract you from the Lord. As far as sitting, standing, or kneeling, the Lord is much more interested in the condition of your heart rather that in the position of your body. (272.6)