Matthew 6:6 CSB – But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6 contains the well-known moment when Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray, and the model prayer that follows has shaped Christian devotion for centuries. Yet immediately before offering that prayer, Jesus gives a command that’s equally important, though often overlooked. He tells us to enter a private place, close the door, and speak to the Father in secrecy, trusting that God sees what no one else sees and responds in ways no one else can. His instruction isn’t given as an optional practice but as a purposeful discipline meant to shape the heart of anyone who follows Him.
There are several reasons why Jesus gives this command. First, private prayer strips away the temptation to perform for others, allowing us to stop worrying about how we sound or appear and instead approach God with sincerity and vulnerability. When the door is shut, and the outside world is gone, it becomes a sacred moment in which only you and the Father are present, and in that space there’s no audience to impress or disappoint. Second, private prayer becomes a declaration of faith because it acknowledges that God alone is the one on whom we rely. When you pray in secret, you’re proclaiming that no human power can solve what God alone can address. You’re submitting your plans, desires, and concerns to the only one who has full authority over your life, and you’re choosing to trust Him with what you cannot control.
Jesus gives many commands throughout the Gospels, and some of them are bold and outward-facing, such as making disciples of all nations or caring for those who can’t care for themselves. Others ask us to restrain our natural impulses, such as turning the other cheek when someone harms us. Yet this command to pray in secret carries a special weight because it forms the foundation of every other act of obedience. It’s a command that comes with a promise, and that promise is profound. If you go into your private room, close the door, and pray to the Father in secret, He will reward you. And the reward He gives is the greatest one He can offer. He gives you more of Himself.