In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26-27

In 2017, I went through one of the worst flares of my illness ever; I couldn’t walk due to pain, my fatigue was out of control, and I was hopeless. I lacked any desire to pray or read the Bible, and I felt a lot of shame about where my faith was. But I did have an awareness that God could see my pain and hear my cries. Somewhere along the line in the last months of 2017, between my flares, my mother-in-law passing, and the doctors finding a mass on my husband’s pancreas, Romans 8 came across my eyes. I remember realizing that if I remain in God’s will- if I’m obedient and continue to focus on Him- I can trust that the prayer I so desperately need has already taken place. It’s such an awesome feeling knowing that the Spirit is always one step ahead of us. We don’t have to know exactly what we need, what desires to share, or what words to speak – God already knows.

While we can rely on the Spirit interceding for us when we don’t know what to say, we need to be active participants in consistent prayer. And however they sound or look, our prayers should be personal and authentic conversations. God’s not looking for us to come to Him with a perfect prayer. He’s looking for an honest prayer with room for Him to respond.

Be Honest

There are mornings when I wake up swollen, stiff, exhausted, and in pain (like, did I run a marathon last night?). And honestly, sometimes the first words out of my mouth are “Really, God?” (Side note: We seem to be taught not to question God, but how can we receive answers and revelations without a prompt?) Psalm 145:18 (TLB) says “He is close to all who call on him sincerely.” So, my prayers on my bad days go something like this:

“God, me give me the strength to get through this day. Relieve me from my pain, or reveal to me the purpose of why You have me here today. Help me to remain frustration-free, give me patience, and block the enemy from using my pain as a weapon against me.”

OR

“God, this sucks. I have no idea what You are doing, and I’m tired, frustrated, and at the end of my rope. Remind me of Your goodness.”

Pretty? Nope. Happy? Nope. Authentic? Absolutely.

The best examples of genuine prayer are, of course, in the Bible. Open to the Psalms and you’ll find the some of best authentic prayers. David did not hide his true feelings from God. When he was miserable, he said so; when he was happy, he poured out his praise to God. His prayers were his own.

If you’re new to the whole praying thing (or are stuck using only religiously-directed prayer), there’s no starting point and there are no right words – just open your mouth and begin speaking to Him. Be honest. Talk to Him about the good He has done, the questions you have, and the things you would like from Him. Listen for Him to answer. Then watch the power of your prayers manifest in your everyday life.

Food For Thought: Are you stuck on praying the perfect prayer? Let it go – there’s no such thing. God wants honest and genuine conversation with you, and He desires to have a dialogue often! Speak to Him throughout the day about the good, bad, and ugly. Cry to Him if you can’t find the words or strength to speak. Don’t overthink it – just be you.