When was the last time you were really honest with God? Here's our latest blog post from Sarah Rock-Evans, Ordinand (a fancy word for trainee minister/vicar) at St George & St Paul, on the importance of being 'real' with our prayers.
'You have searched me Lord and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.' Psalm 139:1-2.
What does being honest with God really look like, and how much of the real 'you' do you think you share with Him?
Last week saw the first meeting of our new Kintsugi Hope Group, the beginning of a 12 week course looking at ways to improve mental wellbeing in a Christian context. There is a different theme for the group each week, and the first is honesty; this provides an opportunity to think about what it means to be more 'real' with ourselves and with those we trust rather than wearing a 'mask' to hide how we really feel.
At the end of our meeting we read part of Psalm 139 and I was struck by how intricately God understands us. The psalm starts by saying 'You have searched me Lord and you know me.' It goes on to detail how intimately the Lord knows us and how close He is to us. We can’t hide from God! It made me wonder how honest we are with God in our prayers, how much don’t tell Him, and how we are all the poorer for that.
I am a great advocate of honest prayers; telling God when we are angry, disappointed, or deeply saddened can really unlock His power in our lives. God longs to connect with us just as we are and as we open up to be honest with Him we are able to receive more from Him. It’s like an amplified version of a good friendship; sharing at a deeper level with a trusted friend somehow strengthens that bond of support, and sharing at a deeper level with God can build our faith, bring comfort and help us to understand more of how God is at work in our lives.
Perhaps your prayers are already super-honest, but if not, can I encourage you to try being more 'real' with God in the coming days? Can you dare to tell Him how it really is, to share the burdens that worry you, the questions that keep you awake, or the doubts that hold you back? You might like to write your feelings as a letter to God, you might talk to Him aloud or prefer to walk and pray silently. I hope that you will find that a faith-building way to pray.
If we can support you in prayer do get in touch, and remember we have a prayer ministry team available to pray with you each week at our 10:45am service.
With blessings,
Sarah (Ordinand)