“When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.” (Matthew 6:6)
Prayer is personal communication with God. It’s not a show. Therefore, Jesus advises us to “go into your room and shut the door” when you pray. He saw many people who loved “to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others” (verse 5). That’s misuse of prayer, and not pleasing to God.
This is not to say that we can never pray in public. Jesus did so Himself (Matthew 14:19 and 15:36), praying together as a church is a normal practice (e.g. Acts 1:14, 12:5, 12:12, 21:5). The crucial thing is, again, why we are praying in public. Is this because we are praying together with fellow Christians, maybe leading a church service, or do we simply happen to be in some place where others can see us pray? Or, are we showing off and seeking the admiration of others?
Prayer is personal communication with God. In general, it’s therefore best to be alone with God, “in your room”, concentrating on Him alone.
Do you pray regularly? Where do you generally pray, and how does this place affect your prayers?