Have you ever been guilty of thinking that God only hears
you when you speak in ‘stained glass sentences? Like he only hears the
prayers that use ‘church language’. Or that you have to pray in King James
Version speech? (Please don’t cancel me for saying that. I am not dissing the
King James Version. But you know what I mean.)
Sometimes we can overthink our prayers and worry that
they are not Christian sounding enough or not spoken in appropriate ‘God
language’.
I think new Christians often struggle with these
thoughts and feel intimidated when they hear an eloquent prayer spoken by someone
who has walked with Christ for a long time.
(Spoiler alert. Not all
eloquent prayers come from a heart of humility.)
But what happens when our prayers sound like a sigh?
What if they sound like a sob?
What happens when all there is, is anger, hurt and frustration?
What if all we have is questions?
What do we do when we don’t know how to phrase the
thoughts that swirl within us?
I want to be an encouragement today to those of you
that struggle with feeling like you’re not ‘praying right’.
Who was it that made you? Who was it that formed you
in your mother’s womb?
God. God made you. God formed you.
So, don’t you think that because God made you then he
can understand you?
He understands your language of prayer.
He understands your prayers, whether all he hears are
sobs and the sound of tear drops spilling onto the floor or the quick intakes
of breath as you gasp for air.
He understands your prayers if they are full of pain. Full
of heartache or frustration.
He understands prayers of brokenness. Psalm 34:18
KJV - The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as
be of a contrite spirit.
He understands your prayers if all he ‘hears’
is silence.
There have been times in my life when I couldn’t pray.
All I could do was cry. And so, my prayers were simply tears. He cares about
them too. (Psalm 56:8). They are a language he understands.
If God can speak light into darkness, and he can,
and he did, then he can hear you in your darkness.
God is the master of all languages. He understands
them all.
He understands the language of grief. The language of
sorrow, happiness, disappointment, joy, depression, anxiety.
And when we don’t have the words to express what we’re
feeling inside, instead of condemning us, the Holy Spirit comes alongside us
and provides strength, guidance and His comforting presence. But that’s not
all!
The Spirit intercedes for us with ‘groanings that
cannot be uttered’.
Romans 8:26-27 KJV - Likewise the Spirit also
helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered.
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is
the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according
to the will of God.
In other words, he prays on our behalf. When we
have no words, he speaks for us.
He translates what is in our hearts and brings them to
the Father.
When you come to realise that God understands you, no
matter how your prayers come out, when you realise that he can interpret your
language, then you can live with the freedom to come as you are.
To pray prayers that are not polished. Not edited. Prayers
that are broken, hurting, disappointed, confused, frustrated. Prayers that are
not grammatically correct. Prayers that are not fully formed sentences. Prayers
that are interrupted by tears.
You no longer have to pretend you’re okay. You don’t
have to ‘man up’, wipe away the tears, clear your throat and speak.
No. Just bring your mess.
Bring your brokenness.
And lay it before him.
Those who draw near to God will find him drawing near
to them. (James 4:8)
He hears you.
He understands you.
He can translate your language. You don’t have to copy
and paste someone else’s. You can speak to him in the language of your heart
and he will hear. He will understand.
So, quit trying to keep it polished. Just be real. Be
raw. Be unfiltered.
Come to him in humility. Come to him broken and watch him
put the pieces back together again.
Speak your language. Listen. Obey. And watch him
answer!
Ephesians 3:20-21 KJV - Now unto him that is able
to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the
power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus
throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
He Hears Me
Here I am again, down on my knees
And with every pleading word, Thy comfort I seek
Though the words are slow to come
My thoughts are racing by
Peace fills the room, Thy spirit is nigh
He hears me
When I'm crying in the night
He hears me
When my soul longs to fight
Till the morning will come
And the light of the dawn reassures
He hears me
Any hour, wherever I may be
In the silence of an empty room, or on a crowded
street
Whether offering thanks, or in urgency I pray
I never go unnoticed, I'm never led astray
He hears me
When I'm crying in the night
He hears me
When my soul longs to fight
Till the morning will come
And the light of the dawn reassures
He hears me
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