Honest Prayers, Holy Ground - Your Nightly Prayer - February 24th
Honest Prayers, Holy Ground
Your Nightly Prayer
By Chelsey DeMatteis
TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE
“Pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” - Psalm 62:8
SOMETHING TO PONDER
When you think of prayer, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s the Lord’s Prayer, a familiar prayer you prayed as a child, or a prayer you speak over each meal. God doesn’t only look for the familiar prayers. He wants to hear all of your prayers: the hard prayers, the seemingly frivolous prayers, and the grievous prayers you don’t think you can bring before the throne of grace.
When I think of those in the Bible who prayed honest prayers, I think immediately of Hannah and David. Hannah’s heart posture and emotions as she prayed led a priest to assume she was intoxicated. Her mouth moved, but not a sound came out - yet, God heard her. David likewise prayed wildly honest prayers. He didn’t shy away from complex topics; he didn’t try to hide the sinful desires of his flesh. He took them straight to the throne of grace and mercy. Have you ever taken the time to ponder why God’s throne is called the throne of grace? It is a place we are blessed to approach with all things in all seasons of our lives.
This past summer was one of the most spiritually challenging I’ve ever walked through. The enemy's attacks felt relentless. My mind and body felt pangs and pains of anxiety I hadn’t ever experienced. The darkness of the night felt heavy, and there was one night in particular when I couldn’t shake the despairing fear. I cried out to God in one of the most raw, honest ways I ever have, and His peace - the peace of God - literally washed over my body. It was a very supernatural and complete demonstration of God's work in the valley. In that moment, I knew I did not need to fear the valley or the evil one, for God was literally with me.
Peace prevailed, and fear fled. And though I had many more nights throughout the summer when I cried out to God in the most honest, raw way, His peace was always present when the prayers began. Prayer brings peace, and honest, raw prayers bring a depth and change to our spiritual walk with the Lord. It reveals a trust and reliance, a dependence so much deeper than what can be seen from the surface. We are promised throughout all of scripture that God is our refuge; He is our safest place. And we approach Him as our refuge through the well of prayers tucked into our hearts.
"In my distress, I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple, he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears." - Psalm 18:6
"Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7
Cry out to the Lord. Bring Him your whole heart. Offer up your prayers and praises: the hard things and mundane things. Speak the words that feel like they are too much for God, because they are not - nothing is too much for Him. He will hold you and sustain you, and meet you right where you are. Your honest prayers are the very thing God wants to hear, because those prayers become His holy ground.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Father,
Thank you for your throne of grace. Help me, Lord, have the boldness to approach your throne with a heart of honesty. Remove any fear or the lie that I must arrive before your throne at a level of perfection. Meet me where I am and help me as I share the stirrings in my Spirit. As I share my heart with you, I pray to sense your presence. Remind me that you see me and hear the cries of my heart. Draw me closer to you, and may I always seek you as my refuge. My safest place.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO PONDER UPON
1. God invites honesty, not polish.
The Lord calls us to pour out our hearts before Him, not to filter our prayers for what sounds acceptable (Psalm 62:8).
2. The throne we approach is one of grace.
Because God’s throne is a throne of grace, we may bring our fears, sins, and sorrows without hesitation or disguise (Hebrews 4:16).
3. Honest prayer leads us into God’s refuge.
When we cry out to the Lord in truth, He meets us with peace and proves Himself to be our safest place (Psalm 18:6; Philippians 4:6–7).
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Tinnakorn Jorruang
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.com.
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