Here's why Michael Reeves wrote the book "Rediscovering the Joy of Praying"
Prayer, this problem
We are not good at prayer. This is unfortunately true for most of us and it shouldn't surprise us. This is where Christianity has come to be in our Western societies today. And its situation is worrying to say the least. Our church leaders themselves have only sporadic communication with God. How, then, can their assemblies and communities expect to be in good spiritual health?
It is to be feared that some parallels with the Corinthian Church are slowly developing within our communities. Through his letters concerning her, Paul offers us the spectacle of leaders who congratulate themselves on their own successes and who spread the Word of God without being sincere. They were acting in a carnal way and not in a spiritual way. They were also proud, hypocritical and in competition with each other. Their prayer life was a cause for shame, as love of Christ and dependence on Christ had been replaced there by love of self and confidence in one's own strength.
Lack of prayer always goes hand in hand with a lack of Christian integrity. This is even truer for Christian leaders. Let’s put it as it is: if they don’t enjoy communicating with God, then they’re selling a product they don’t really believe in.
Ironically, the importance and urgency of their task can help to aggravate - and I know how easily - this situation which can escalate into sterile and aimless agitation, agitation which can lead them to behave like a flock of Martha (see Lu 10.38,42). They are careful to display all the outward signs of success in Christian life and mission, but when it comes to being in fellowship with God, they turn out to be empty shells. I want to stress that I am a failed man who speaks to other humans in the same dead end.
Nevertheless, I hope that this book, in terms of the real problem of our lack of prayer, will act as a strengthening and refreshing - even a kick-off! - in our prayer life.