We must have a deep, earnest sense of our needs. We must feel our weakness and our dependence upon God, and come to Him with contrition of soul and brokenness of heart. We must not pray in a doubting, half-hearted manner, but with full assurance of faith. Faith takes God at His word, with or without feeling. When we go to Him for wisdom or grace, we are not to look to ourselves to see if He has given us a special feeling as an assurance that He has fulfilled His word.
Feeling is no criterion.
Great evils have resulted when Christians have followed feeling. He says He will hear the needy when they cry unto Him, and I believe His word. If we walk in the light, we may come to the throne of grace with holy boldness. We may present the promises of God in living faith, and urge our petitions. But too often our prayers are molded by coldness and backsliding.