prayer patter

Once, at a baptismal service I prayed for those who had been “baptized into the kingdom”. I was corrected because it is not baptism that brings someone into the kingdom. My thoughts were, of course not, but why do we baptize? It is a symbol of what brings us into the kingdom. Another time in a public prayer, I mentioned finding God. I was strongly corrected that we do not find God, He was never lost. God found us. But of course. But why does He tell us that if we seek Him with all our hearts, we will find Him?
I pray in front of a congregation at least once in every service. Today I prayed 3 times. All this has me thinking about the purpose of public prayer. About Jesus’ warning against praying flowery prayers to impress. About asking folks to stand and speak loudly to the largest part of the room so that we all may agree with your prayer. Need we hear to agree? Or should we be praying? I haven’t the answers. But I know that lately after I’ve prayed publicly, I try to remember everything I said so that I can run it through a theological filter and see if I said anything wrong. To see if I said anything that confused what I meant. I’m praying, and God knows what I’m saying. Why do I feel like I’m teaching? Is this what’s expected of me, or is it just an obstacle I’ve imposed on myself?