Does praying out loud change anything?

Praying in thought is faster. Praying aloud is slower, and that is where the difference lies.

When thought runs loose, it jumps from subject to subject and returns to the same problem without noticing. When a prayer is spoken, one sentence has to finish before the next begins.

This produces three effects.

The first is attention. Speaking requires following what is being said.

The second is honesty. A sentence that means nothing becomes obvious when it leaves the mouth.

The third is memory. What was spoken stays longer than what was thought.

Nobody has to pray aloud always, and nobody has to pray aloud in front of another person. A closed room and a low voice are enough.

Example: on the bus, say softly “Lord, today I hand over what I cannot control”. In the kitchen, the same sentence while the water boils.

If you prefer to start with a ready text, use a psalm. Reading Psalm 23 aloud, slowly, takes less than two minutes.

In Bibliou you type “short prayer” and receive a sentence ready to say aloud.