In Paul's letter to the Romans, he speaks about our inability to pray. And yet the Holy Spirit knows even the thoughts we cannot put into words and gathers them up and presents them to God. In prayer, the Spirit is our helper, bringing to fruition and completion what we can only imperfectly start. But I think I can remedy that. And that is not just my idea.
Prayer is often dull work.
He says if you are lucky enough to have a new car, then washing and polishing it is rather like a wonderful devotional task. But when the novelty of it wears off, washing and polishing becomes a nuisance and a bore, but you can still clean it efficiently if you choose to. Whether new or old, the result is still the same. Prayer when it is new, or received some newness from our experience, is a devotional activity. As time wears on, it becomes work and often is downright boring.