If I've already articulated what I have to say then why do I have to repeat it each night?
I do frequently address God with my thoughts as I go about my business, throughout the day
First, I'll say that thoughts, in my opinion, do count as prayer. But, verbalising those thoughts, I think, has a specific purpose and benefit. Even if they are repetitive, even if you don't feel energized by it.
What you're describing sounds to me a little like sloth. Everyone has it, no one is immune to it. Sloth is easiest identified because it asks, "what's the point?" And without an answer the person stops whatever they had planned on doing. That's sloth.
Sloth can be a big problem, it inhibits goals and productivity, perhaps leads to depression, or even an existential crisis.
The thing about sloth is, it's cumulative. It builds on itself. It feeds and it grows. Initially it asks, "what's the point?", and if the person has no answer, and if the person ceases their plan, the next day sloth asks, "Yesterday there wasn't a point? What's different about today?" And each day of inactivity builds on the last day and the day before. Soon, sloth branches out and asks, "Those other things had no point? What's the point of what you're doing now? What's the point of all your beliefs hopes and dreams? Maybe it's best to stay home and take a nap, nothing really matters anyway?"
Kind of an extreme example, but that's how I think sloth operates. It starts out small, just asking a seemingly innocent question. It restricts passion and inhibits it.
But to be fair, sloth can be a good thing, if it is used to quiet those passions when they run rampant like in rage or frustration or arrogance.
So sloth has its purpose, it's not evil, but it needs to be controlled. How to control it? First step: recognize it when it's small. Second step: decide not to give up. Third step: do something to get the blood moving.
Now, what's the difference between a prayer in thought and a prayer in speech? Blood. The heart becomes active. The heart and blood are the antidote to sloth. Moving the lips and jaw and tongue, raising the palete, moving the diaphram, all of that is physical action, engaging the heart and pumping life blood through the body. By doing this sloth is subjegated to the mind, to a choice, to a commitment, to duty, and ultimately to free-will. And *that* is a very useful tool to have on your belt.
It's easy for sloth to bubble up at prayer time and ask, "what's the point of saying these words? You've said them before, why say them again? God knows what you'll say, God knows the content of your heart, God is aware of your intentions? How does it matter?" And it's totally normal and natural to be stumped by this question in the moment without preparation. But the answer is: "I do it because I choose to, I made a commitment, to have an ongoing relationship, and part of that is this seemingly meaningless task. Stopping this easy thing, will likely lead to stopping other parts of the realtionship, and I don't want that. Besides, I am a free person, I don't need to justify this simple action, I am executing my own will."
Using these ideas, I think, there's plenty of opportunity for inspiration enhancing the act of daily verbal prayers: there's the ideas of blood, heart, duty, and free-will.
But even deeper, even more potent, consider that God creates not with thought, but with speech. And as beings made in the likeness and form of God, perhaps, maybe, we have been endowed with a similar diminshed faculty. Are verbal prayers an act of divine creation? That's fuel for thought as well.
