“But truly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.”
~Psalm 66:19
Sometimes we don’t talk to God because it feels like He isn’t listening, doesn’t answer, or can’t hear us. This is not true. Or maybe we don’t talk to God because we think we don’t deserve it. True, but did Jesus die on the cross for nothing? False. He closed the gap between God and man with the cross. God wants to hear from you. He wants to have an intimate, Fatherly, two-sided relationship with you. He wants to yada you (post about yada coming soon on the website). You are important to Him.
I’ve been one of those people that only talks to God about the big things. You know, like the competition I badly wanted to win, the exams I wanted to pass, the people I wanted to be friends with. But, I am starting to realize that yes, God cares about the big things, but He also cares about the little things! Things that I thought weren’t important enough to talk to Him about. Things I was embarrassed to tell Him about. Things that I thought He simply couldn’t care less whether I talked to Him about them or not.
This thinking comes from a heart that doesn’t believe that God is what He says He is. This thinking comes from a person that thinks they can control and handle their life better than God can. This thinking comes from a heart that thinks that God doesn’t care.
He does.
He wants to hear every little thing about your life. He wants to hear about that quiz you wrote at school, that conversation you had with a friend, that activity you did with your siblings, the dreams you have for the future, the secrets that you are scared for people to find out… everything. Maybe you will find this even crazier yet, He wants to hear about the bad things, not just the good things. He wants to hear about when you lost your patience, when you had an attitude, when you heard something that made you sad, when someone has hurt you… even when you feel like your world is falling apart.
I have heard the argument that “God knows everything, so why should I bother praying?” To me, this is nonsense. Yes, of course God knows everything. Of course God knows what you need and when. Of course God knows what is going on in your life. This knowledge doesn’t have to make it pointless to pray. Here are three reasons why we should talk to God, rather than just rely on the fact that He already knows.
1. Prayer deepens a person’s faith in God. By talking to God, we get to know Him better. Believing in the works of Jesus Christ and trusting that He will provide us with everything we need builds a foundation needed to deepen a person’s faith. We don’t tell our secrets to simply ANYBODY. We tell our secrets to someone we trust or look up to. Telling secrets creates a bond between two people, and it is the same way with God. The more we communicate with Him, the stronger our bond is, the deeper our faith becomes.
2. Prayer unlocks a person from their inner turmoil. Sometimes, simply talking about an issue can start the healing process and free yourself from the pain that you otherwise would keep locked away in your heart. Because God is truly listening to you (John 5:15) you don’t need to continue in the mindset that tells you “Nobody knows how hard this is from me… Nobody cares that I find it hard to be happy because of this trial I face… Nobody understands how badly I want to be free of this hardship” and turn instead to say “God knows how hard this is for me. God cares that I am struggling with this burden. God understands how badly I want to be free from this hardship.” Give your pain and worry to Him. He is listening.
3. Prayer transforms others. Have you ever had that moment when you feel like your world is just falling apart, tears are streaming down your face, and you are telling yourself “I can’t do it anymore, I can’t” in between sobs? Or maybe you have had this experience with a friend that feels so lost and sad about something that all they can do is cry and cling to you as if you are their last hope. But have you also experienced the peace that comforts and protects like a soft blanket after bringing it to God? Being the girl that relies on God and encourages others to lean on Him can have a powerful effect on those near and dear to you. Seeing the peace you receive from talking to God about what is bothering or hurting you can inspire them to try it to.
Communicating with God can seem really hard, no matter what stage you are in. Here are some practical ways that you can be a girl that talks to God.
1. Set aside a specific time every day. Pick a time in your schedule that you don’t typically have anything going on. If you don’t have any moments like this I would suggest trying your best to make a special time for prayer. Being committed to communicating helps to avoid mumbling a prayer as you are falling asleep.
2. Start a prayer journal. I’ve heard that this method of talking to God can be really helpful for some people. I have a prayer journal that I write in when I am feeling overly emotional and just need to vent but don’t have the privacy to do so. I find it really helpful to write out what I am feeling, and it is kind of interesting to look back on it and see how God was working in and through me. I also know some people that write in a prayer journal daily or weekly. It is very helpful to reflect and see how God answers prayer. If you enjoy writing in a journal or diary, I would highly suggest integrating this method into your prayer life.
3. Whisper little prayers throughout the day. When you are feeling stressed out, tell Him. When you are sad, tell Him. When you need strength, ask Him. When you can’t feel His presence, call upon Him. These little sentence prayers throughout the day can help you to feel more connected and open with God. And if people think you are different or weird, tell them why you do it! Prayer is a special gift, so if people look down on you or make fun of you for praying, pray for them too. They need it.
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father,
We come to You in prayer today to ask You to teach us to pray, to guide us as we learn what it means to be connected to You through the spoken word. Hear our prayers Lord, and forgive us if our prayers are not according to Your Will. Hear us, Lord Jesus, and fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may spread Your love to those around us. In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
Reflect - What is something you can do to remind yourself to talk to God?
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