Are there connections between the physical struggle Malcolm has with getting down on his knees to pray, with the mental/emotional/spiritual challenges he may be having?

Hello. You did not enter the text to which this question refers, which makes it impossible for it to be answered accurately. However, I will try to help you in the best possible way.

If malcolm needs to kneel and pray, it means that he is upset with something and needs divine provision to resolve, because these challenges are greater than he is. These challenges can be physical, emotional, or a relationship between them. This is because when an individual presents emotional challenges that need to be dealt with, the physical challenges become bigger and more difficult to be solved, because the emotional of that individual is already suffering and with problems to act with clarity.

the author develops a cold, and scared tone. making the reader shudder with fear, and suddenly become cold. i'm guessing that he's writing a scary novel, or maybe about a chilly december night.