In Darrin Patrick’s book Church Planter (which I’ve really enjoyed) he touches on an important note for all Christians, not just pastors:
Why is it so easy to be great a public prayer and terrible at private prayer? The logic of Jesus in Matthew 6:5-6 explains this dichotomy: It is an issue of reward. Simply put, we are immediately rewarded for praying well in public, but we are not for private prayer. Public prayers are often praised by those around us who are impressed by our oratorical ability. Public prayers are often empowered by the excitement of the moment rather than by the sobering reality of the eternal. Thus public prayers are more driven by performance than passion, by people rather than by God.
Private prayer is the revealer of the true spiritual condition of the human heart. Do we pray privately for what God might do for us or for a better understanding of God? Do we pray to get closer to a better (i.e., easier, more comfortable) life, or do we pray to get closer to God? –Darrin Patrick, Church Planter, pp. 62-63
There is a lot of pastoral gold in this new book from Patrick. It is new in publication but it is the same old stuff that we need to remember but too easily forget.