From The Spiritual Life and How to be Attuned to It

St Theophan the Recluse

In the soul and body are needs, including such ordinary ones as family and social needs. These needs in and of themselves do not constitute any distinct desire, but merely form the pretext for seeking gratification for themselves. When a need is satisfied in a particular way on a given occasion, then ever afterwards, whenever this need is aroused, along with it is born the desire for that which has satisfied it previously.

There is no gap between the time we make our prayer and when it is heard; the only necessity is that it comes from our heart. It is our telegraphic line to Heaven. The very same prayers, which are not from our heart, but which come only from our head and tongue, do not produce as ray which rises to heaven, and they are not audible there. Those are not even prayers, but only prayer-like modes.