Praying like a Child? or like a Toddler?

So I know I haven't posted here in over a month. I kept having things I wanted to write about, but kept running out of time to actually write them until I have honestly forgotten what most of the topics were even about. Sometimes, I think, it's more important to go about the business of living life than to sit back and comment on it.

However, one of the guys in my class last night read to us a piece of the day's devotional that he's going through. It talked about how often we pray to God like a toddler talks to their parents. My little girl turns 3 tomorrow and she is getting immensely better at holding conversations, but for the longest time she would only very briefly pause playing to exchange a few words. The devotion writer was pointing out how often we do that to God. We believers are His children by birth and by adoption, but how long do we stay spiritual toddlers? How long do we pause our lives to actually have a conversation with our Heavenly Father? I don't know about y'all but I am guilty of this all the time. I pray to God in, at most, 5 - 10 minute increments throughout my day. Now I'm not saying there's not a time for that kind of prayer, but to actually get to know anyone you have to spend actual time in conversation with them.

My almost 3 year old is my oldest, so I don't have first hand experience of having older kids, but my niece (10) and nephews (8,6,4 and 2) recently came up to visit the States from Ecuador. It really struck me the difference between a family whose oldest is 2 (mine) and a family whose youngest is 2 (my brother-in-law's). My niece and oldest two nephews could actually hold conversations. I really felt like I got to know them this trip. They have wonderful personalities that they were able to share with me, in part, because they're big enough now to actually talk to and spend time with. This is the difference I want to make in my prayer life. I shouldn't still talk to God like my little girl talks to me. I'm "spiritually older" than that. I ought to be able to sit down and get to know Him.

I made the distinction in the title because, even with the differences between a child and a toddler, a child still needs to rely on their parents for guidance, direction and care. A toddler of course needs these things too, but a child can let their parents know their gratitude. We ought to be growing as children of God. I need to stop acting like a toddler and let my God and Father know how much I really do appreciate Him.

Thank You God for the tremendous amount of blessing You've lavished on me, Your son. Thank You that You love me. Thank You.