SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART; TEST ME AND KNOW MY ANXIOUS THOUGHTS.

PSALM 139:23

POWER OF PRAYER

You really ought to read the little book of James. It only takes 15 minutes, and prayer is woven all the way through it. “If you lack wisdom, pray. If you’re sick, pray. If you’re in a tough season, pray.”

Stay connected to God like two people who love each other, in an ongoing, real conversation. That’s powerful. That’s effective. Let’s look back at the verse we saw yesterday:

There’s power in praying with others, especially when we’re honest. Freedom comes when you get vulnerable, open up and get stuff out. I recently had a guy confess something he’d been hiding for two years. The moment he got honest, I could see healing rush into his heart.

God invites us to come as we are—no secrets, no masks, no pretending. He says, “Bring it all. Your scars. Your shame. Your story.” Because prayer is a place where we can be completely honest.

There’s no image to manage with God. He already knows the real you. My wife knows me better than anyone, but even she doesn’t know everything. I don’t even know everything about myself. But God does.

That’s why Jesus said, “When you pray, don’t do it for show—go to a quiet place and be real.” Prayer is meant to be a space of complete honesty.

Anybody like me, and you’re bad at keeping secrets? I’m terrible at holding things inside. In fact, none of us is really good at it, when we think we are. When we keep secrets, it puts a strain on our relationships.

And, I’ve found that trying to hide stuff from God is not only futile, but it hinders my relationship with Him and keeps me from walking free. 

God wants the real you. And there’s so much freedom in bringing that person to Him.

I pray because I need somewhere to go with my deepest secrets. I need to be completely honest with someone, so why not open up with The One who already knows and accepts and loves me anyway?

There’s an old hymn that simply says: “What a friend we have in Jesus … all our sins and griefs to bear … what a privilege to carry … everything … everything to God in prayer …”

Everything. Not only my deepest secrets, I bring my joys, victories, and gratitude. I can bring my doubts, fears, gripes, complaints, and worries to God in prayer. I bring my uniqueness, my personality, and talk to Him the way I talk. You don’t need to sound polished or formal. Just talk to God like you would a friend.

I think we ought to carve out times to be still, shut down distractions, and talk to and listen to God. But I’m learning that prayer is an ongoing connection with God. It’s living in the awareness of His presence with you and in you all day long.

I think this is what that Scripture means when it says, “Pray all the time,” or “Pray without ceasing.” It’s constant. In traffic, in the office, on the way into a tough meeting, getting wheeled down a hospital hallway, walking into a date, pulling into your driveway. It’s all prayer when you’re keeping company with God.

Prayer is about His faithfulness and His righteousness and His goodness and His perfection. It’s about His insatiable desire to connect with us, talk with us, be with us, comfort us, hold us, breathe life into us, lead us, empower us, use us in this world—to pray is to stay connected with the lover of your soul.

I’m praying for you today. And I’d love it if you’d pray for me.

PRAY

God, thank you for being a safe place where we can come with all our secrets, struggles and joys. Help us be honest with you—and with others—about what’s really going on inside. Shine your light into every corner of our hearts.

Set us free from the weight of pretending, and help us live in the freedom of your love. Teach us to stay connected with you every step of the way.

In Jesus’ name, amen.