I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.
Psalm 142:1 (NKJV)
Do you have a hard time talking to God? Do your words fail you when speaking with our great and awesome Creator? Do you find it easier to talk to one of your friends whom you can actually see? Friends are amazing, especially those who point you to God, but wouldn’t you rather talk to someone who sees all and knows all?
When we talk to God, He hears us. We’re told to pray about everything, to bring him our burdens, and to give thanks. We also have the example of Jesus, often praying to His Father.
How much time do you spend talking to God vs talking to a friend? How often do you take your worries and concerns to God instead of venting to a coworker? Even in our own Bible study groups we can turn to complaining and griping instead of taking it all to God.
“Prayer is holy ground on which we meet God. We enter His presence, and open our hearts to His transforming power. It is a place of adoration, praise, wonder, confession, and renewal.” —Casandra Martin, Echoing His Heartbeat, The Life of David
Talking to God is better than talking to a friend because God is impartial, He gives good gifts, and He see and knows all.
WHEN YOU ARE IN CONFLICT, GOD IS IMPARTIAL
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.
Deuteronomy 10:17
Don’t you love venting to a friend and they say, “I cannot believe she did that!” Of course we want someone to take our side! Hopefully you have a friend that doesn’t always take your side. It’s not easy to tell someone that they are the ones who did wrong, but a true friend should point you to God and His Word and not her own opinions.
God does not play favorites and He does not take bribes. He is not like the judge on the crime show that can be bought with money, nor does He take our side just because we’re the ones talking to Him.
We can know that when we pray to God, he is not listening through an earthly filter – giving preference to the one who looks the part. He does not see as we see, but can see the heart.
WHEN YOU DON’T GET WHAT YOU WANT, GOD STILL GIVES GOOD GIFTS
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28
Every gift we receive is from God – the good ones, the perfect ones, and the ones we do not understand. We have to trust that what we’re given will guide us towards a path of Godliness. All things, even the bad, will turn out good in the end.
When it’s hard to understand why we are not getting what we’re asking for, we put our hope in God’s promises. Trusting his words and obeying His commands will allow us to live in Heaven one day. No matter what “bad” is happening here, it will all be good in God’s hands. God knows what is good for us, even when we do not.
WHEN YOU FEEL LOST, GOD SEES ALL AND KNOWS ALL
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
One way we show our worry is by talking it out with a friend. But Philippians 4 says to be anxious for nothing, but take everything to God! With gratitude for what He has already given us, we can ask for our preferred outcomes in every situation.
And then guess what? There is peace. A peace that looks crazy to those around us. This unexplainable peace that can only come from God will guard your heart and your mind from attacks by Satan. Praying to God may not change your situation but it can change your attitude about it. It can give you a hopefulness that everything will be ok, even if not exactly what you’re asking for.
There is nothing wrong with talking to a trusted friend about your circumstances, but make sure you’ve talked to God about it also. The peace we receive from God cannot be replicated by a friend. The Bible says many times that we should not worry or be afraid, but that prayer is the answer. Pray about everything.
“Prayer can never be in excess.” —Charles Spurgeon
Maybe you haven’t prayed in a while and you want to get back into a good habit. I have a checklist that can help you – 14 prompts to help you move out of your prayer rut and into the path of communicating with God. Sign up below to receive your checklist right away!
Thank you 🙏🏾