A Prayer to Be Honest When Talking to God
By Laura Bailey
Bible Reading
“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?” Habakkuk 1:2 NIV
Listen or Read Below
“Mom, who were you yelling at in the field?” my daughter asked in confusion.
“I called for Colonel George (our family’s Labrador) a few times; is that what you mean?” I responded, equally as confused by her question.
“No, it was like you were yelling at someone. I thought maybe you were praying, but you seemed pretty annoyed,” she teased.
OH! Yes, she was correct; I had been talking to God on my morning walk, and well, I guess to the bystander, it would have seemed I was in a full–blown–one–way arguing match.
The pasture behind our house is where I go to process verbally, to air out my grievances, and, well, just vent about the things I am not too happy about in my life. It can be anything from irritation over a friend’s comment, a recent headline in the news, or something I’d read in my morning Bible study. I used to think that my no-holds-barred approach to conversing with God was irreverent or borderline disrespectful. I felt ashamed for being upset with God; I avoided sharing my true feelings with Him, instead offering sweet platitudes and prayers that I thought God wanted to hear– but then, I read the book of Habakkuk.
The book of Habakkuk could easily be missed, with only 3 chapters and nestled close to the end of the Old Testament. It’s written by the prophet Habakkuk, whom we don’t know much about, other than that he hung out in the temple and was musical. Typically, the prophetic books of the Bible record God's messages to the prophets for them to share with the people. However, Habakkuk is unique in that the prophet speaks to God about the people. And guess what? God responds!
I love how many of the Bible titles the opening chapter of Habakkuk as “Habakkuk’s complaint.” Never had I felt so seen in the Scriptures until I read these opening lines and saw this prophet's raw, transparent, and very vulnerable prayer to God. Habakkuk was living during a time of political corruption, social injustice, and spiritual bankruptcy- sound familiar? He was deeply burdened for His people, and so he cried out boldly without reservation to the One who could provide relief and ultimately salvation.
Growing up in church, I was taught to pray a certain way using the A.C.T.S method. And while this isn’t a bad approach, using this method always made my prayers feel rote and scripted. I often struggled to connect with God. However, once I began reading the prayers of people in Scripture, such as Habakkuk and David in the Psalms, I realized that God can handle my honesty. (And well, He already knows my thoughts before I speak them ( Psalm 139:4). We don’t have to be embarrassed or feel shame for getting real with God about our frustrations, doubts, and questions.
And while Habakkuk was very open about his problems, we also see that he is eager to praise God. May we be people who come to God honestly, sharing with him our problems and our praise— because He is the source of strength and salvation ( Habakkuk 3:17-19).
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, oh how grateful I am for the privilege of being able to come to you in prayer. May I never take for granted the ability to have a personal relationship with you through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life, who guides and directs my words even when I don’t know what to say.
I ask, Lord, that you grant me the ability to share the desires of my heart openly, my struggles, frustrations, and disappointments. But don’t let me just pound you with my problems; may my time with you prompt me to praise. Thank you for being willing to listen to me; grant me discernment and patience as I wait to hear from You.
May you forgive me of my sin, and lead me to look more like Jesus tomorrow than I did today. I love you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Andrey Popov
Related Resource: Sheila Walsh: The Cost of Pretending You’re Okay - Buried Emotions, Depression, Mental Health & the Courage to Heal
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