Querulous Prayer Practices

The other night, while saying our evening prayers, I began to realize I did something very odd in my prayers: I would explain things to God, as if He would not understand. It's a small "offense" and perhaps laughable by God Himself. Still, I find it odd that I felt it necessary to explain why I was praying for something/someone, or what I was really asking for, or the history behind the need. I have always believed God is omniscient, so why have I tried to tell Him stuff I think He may not know? It's not for my wife's benefit, nor is it for mine.

Since discovering this I have cut back on this habit. Sometimes I still do, because I have found there are therapeutic values to exploring my motives, but when my motives are known (and good or harmless) then I choose to grin inwardly, acknowledge God as omniscient, and simply give Him the need, knowing He knows the reasons, and knowing He knows I know. In a way I hope it is one of those moments of intimacy shared among friends, those times when things go unsaid and unexplained because they are accurately inferred and understood. In a way I have a more intimate prayer time now.