Now it s true that some people are particularly gifted so that prayer comes easy to them, while others have a more difficult time of it. But whether it comes easy or hard, all Christians have the command of God to pray, and all Christians have the promise that He will hear and answer every proper prayer in His own way and time. Note that both of the passages above have both the command to pray and the promise of an answer to prayer. A Christian who wishes to take the privilege of prayer seriously should consider the form that the devotional life should take. I say form because the faithful life of prayer takes discipline and form if it is to continue.
Spontaneity has it s place, but it is usually the refuge of the lazy.
People who insist on being spontaneous seldom finish what they start. So let s be disciplined and structured in our devotional life. These are usually not times well suited to extended or extemporaneous prayers. Short, formal prayers are just what are needed. And there are none better than those found in Dr. Martin Luther s Small Catechism.