Telling the truth to God is not as easy it might sound, especially when it comes to prayer. I’ve given and heard many prayers over the years; at the Communion Table, in hospital rooms, at meals, in Sunday school classes, at weddings and funerals, even at football games. Many times the content of these prayers is focused on what the person thinks God wants to hear. At other times they are mini-sermons with a particular audience in mind.
I recall coming home early several years ago in order to deal with one of my boys who had spent the afternoon in the principal’s office. Julie knew I was coming early so she wisely had dinner ready when I walked in the door. I wanted to launch into a lecture on proper behavior but first we sat at the table and prayed. One of the boys, the one in deep trouble at school, volunteered to pray. He said,
“Thank you, God for loving us and forgiving us NO MATTER WHAT!”
Our laughter was our amen. That little prayer helped us, especially me, relax and face the issue of the day (which as it turned out wasn’t that big of a deal).
That is what an open and honest prayer life can do: set us free from worry and anxiety while facing whatever hard truth night be in front of us. That honesty defines the difficulty of the task of prayer. I know about a variety of prayer techniques, forms and styles. I’ve led workshops on how to pray in theologically and ecclesiastically correct language but if I am not willing to pray with openness and honesty then the form, the language and the style are almost irrelevant.
David Jacobsen writes in his book, Clarity in Prayer, “If you are talking with someone who already knows the truth, you had best stay close to the facts.”
He’s right. If prayer is going to have any effect on your life it is a pretty dang good idea to go ahead and be honest about who you are before God. In the long run, that honesty will lead to a refreshed and renewed life of faith.
Grace and peace to you,
-Glen
