ARE YOU SAYING PRAYERS OR PRAYING PRAYERS?
Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psalms 62:8
Years ago, I was talking to a guy in my church who was angry and disillusioned with God. An unwanted divorce had come into his life, and he found himself blaming God for the intense pain he was feeling. He told me that he still prayed, even though God did not answer.
I asked him, “How do you pray?” Do you repeat some words and go through the motions, or do you really call out to God and talk to Him from your heart? He reluctantly admitted that he was just repeating words. He was offering a memorized, mindless, heartless, “blah, blah, blah,” type of prayer. He was “saying” his prayers, not “praying” his prayers. Do you see the difference?
A BIG KEY TO PRAYER
If you want to connect with God and see your prayers get answered, you must talk to God from your heart—as you would speak to your best friend. Don’t tell God what you think He wants to hear; tell Him what is really going on inside. Tell Him when you are mad and sad and frustrated and disillusioned. Be honest and forthright with Him. He knows it all, anyway. But He wants to hear it from your heart.
King David is one of my favorite guys in the Old Testament. I love to read his writings in the Psalms. He was a great man of God. One of the keys to his greatness is this: he was so dead-level honest with God. He spoke to God from His heart. He didn’t mindlessly recite prayers. He didn’t sugarcoat his supplications with religious sounding words devoid of reality. He shared honestly and openly with the Lord. His prayers connected because they were real. Are your prayers real?
Why not take some time today and share with God from your heart? Let Him know what is really going on inside. Share with Him your hopes and dreams, fears and frustrations. Confess any bitterness that may have wormed its way in your heart through hurts and injustices you have endured. Get honest with Him! When you really share openly with the Lord, you become vulnerable before Him. And vulnerability is a critical prerequisite for intimacy with God.
If you want to get close to the Lord, pour out your heart to Him. He loves you and truly is a safe place of refuge and strength!
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 182 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.
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