When it comes to prayer, do you feel powerless and not knowing where to start? Do you feel that the person you are praying to is as far away as the clouds, or do you not know what attitude to use when talking to God and what to say?
Maybe we realize that we are praying to our almighty God, so we must be very respectful and careful in what we say, report everything in detail, and repeat it carefully before God, very cautiously.
Or maybe we are afraid that God will hear our negative thoughts and dare not speak to Him for fear that He will be angry. For example, God teaches us to love others, but I hate a friend who has hurt me, so I dare not say it in prayer?
Or do we think that our needs and what we want to pray for are not worth mentioning, as God may not answer our prayers anyway, so why say them?
There may even be times when we have doubts or dissatisfaction with God, but we dare not challenge God’s authority or ask Him “why” in prayer?
What exactly does God want to hear most in prayers? It is what we really think, what we really feel. Would you tell your best friend what is on your mind? When you talk about your concerns, you pour out your heart. Things that you normally would not say will be spoken out at that time, because you have trust in your good friend and are willing to share with him and share the burden together. It turns out that God also wants you to trust Him, share with Him, and let Him share your burden.
We can look at some biblical characters as a reference. The biblical character David showed very sincere emotions in his prayers in the Psalms. He sang and danced with joy and thanksgiving; had sadness, pain, and fear; been complaining and crying. His prayers are full of life, showing his true self to God without hiding anything. We can also see from the Bible that God listened to his prayers attentively and responded to him, just like his closest friend, accompanying him through every step of life.
Another example is in the book of Samuel, Samuel’s mother Hannah was once barren and was ridiculed and very painful. While praying in the temple, she poured out her heart to God, telling God all her grievances and desires for a child. God listened and responded to her, removing her shame.
Therefore, the person you pray to is always there, always listening, and most eager to listen to the truest voice in your heart. So do not be afraid, but feel free to pour out your heart before God.
Pastor Tobey Chan