The one who prays having a scattered mind will hardly obtain anything in prayer. If a distracted child asks his mother for something and after a while he starts speaking about something different and forgets about the initial thing, of course he will not receive it. So, those who speak words of prayer automatically and with their mind completely scattered won’t receive from God the gifts they ask. For, when they are asked what they prayed for, they do not remember anything mechanical uttering of the words of prayer.

If man does not hear himself how can he ask God to do so? Lord hears only those prayers that when are said, the one who says them, understands what he is saying.

(Translated from Arhimandritul Serafim Alexiev, Călăuza rugătorului ortodox, traducere de Gheorghiță Ciocioi, Editura Sophia, București, 2015, pp. 48-49)