I dont generally consider myself to be an anxious person, but sometimes my nerves get the better of me.
One of the things that sets me off is when I pray with people. Its not every time, maybe one in four, but there have been so many times that im asked to pray, and I begin, and I get a little nervous because im praying with others. Ill stumble over a word or something, or get hung up on a word, or just forget what im saying. Then the nerves start to come, and it snowballs. My voice starts to shake, I lose my train of thought, cant think of the next thing to say. Its pathetic. Ill freeze for like 5-10 seconds then just rush to end the prayer to break the cycle.
I never get that nervous or freeze mid sentence doing anything else, but i think I just feel like theres this huge pressure to stay composed while talking to God, while other people are listening in.
Ive been going to my current church for a little over a year now, and have recently been asked to take up a leadership position for a small group. I dont necessarily feel ready for it, but my pastor has talked to me and he feels sure of it. He says he thinks my theology, studiousness, and temperament make me a good choice for a teacher, but this anxiety in prayer is a huge hang up for me.
Does anyone struggle with anxiety in prayer specifically? I dont know what to do about it. I dont want to decline praying with people when im asked, but I screw it up so much that it makes me not want to. Id rather just do what Jesus says about praying in private, exclusively.