Last updated March 15, 2007.

The following is a guest editorial by Karolyn Phillips. Ms. Phillips is a Bible teacher, song writer and a budding authur.

She also runs an email list for women who, among other things, suffer from abuse.

For more about Karolyn Phillips, visit her web page at Seasons of Refreshing Ministries

Can I Be Honest When I Pray?

People ask me all the time, “Can I really be honest with God when I pray? And my anser to them is always yes!

Now, you might be thinking, but what about when things aren’t going right, and maybe I’m really upset, and maybe I even think it’s God’s fault that everything is wrong. I can’t just go to him and tell him that, can I?

Well, let’s consider the Bible where we will find good examples concerning that question.

Suppose a member of your family is sick. What will be your attitude in prayer? Let us look at what Moses did when his own sister was struck with leprosy. Notice that he did this, even though she and Arron declared that Moses wasn’t the only one to hear from God, they could hear him too, so they said. And God’s anger was aroused, and this leprosy was from him. Moses is the perfect picture of a true intercessor that put the needs of someone else above his own, even though his feelings were undoubtedly hurt at his sister and brother’s outburst.

Numbers 12:13-15 (New King James Version)
13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “Please heal her, O God, I pray!”
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again.”
15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again.

So, what if trouble has surrounded you and you’ve just drifted away from the Lord because of the trouble and when it gets just too hard you begin to seek him—what will happen?

2 Chronicles 15:3-4 (New King James Version)
3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; 4 but when in their trouble they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them.

Ah, in their trouble it says. Isn’t it wonderful to know, that when we go to the Lord—when we seek him in prayer “in our trouble—it doesn’t seem to matter to him how long we’ve been away, he’s just right there to answer in our time of need?

And now, what if you have had a disappointment, something that has been bothering you a long long time—perhaps you are a woman who desires a child and has not had one, or a man who desires that his wife have a child and it still hasn’t happened yet? What is your attitude when you go to prayer. Let’s look at a woman in the Bible who faced this situation and see what her attitude was and what resulted from that attitude!

1 Samuel 1:10-17 (New King James Version)
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish. 11 Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”
15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. 16 Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”
17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

Listen to what she said to the priest: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”

Strong words! And her complaint and grief was directed where? To God. She knew that he was the only one who could fix her problem. She knew that he had the power, and so it was to him, even in her sorrow that she came pouring out the abundance of her complaint and grief. This is honesty with the Lord…this is telling him like it is…and this is “leaning” on him.

What if you have a loved one in the wars in the Middle East? Listen to what one kking of Israel prayed when armies were coming against him:
2 Chronicles 20 (New International Version) 12
O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

Remember, this is the kikng of Israel, and yet he acknowledged in that situation that it was only God who had the answer. And the next verse says that even the women and children were there to hear his prayer.

Often we hear David crying out to the Lord in distress. Let’s listen in on some of those prayers.

Psalm 4 (New International Version)
1 Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

Psalm 6 (New International Version)
1O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
3 My soul is in anguish.
How long, O LORD, how long?
4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
6 I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.

Psalm 17 (New International Version)
1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.
2 May my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.
3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
4 As for the deeds of men—
by the word of your lips
I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a great lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;
rescue me from the wicked by your sword.
14 O LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You still the hunger of those you cherish;
their sons have plenty,
and they store up wealth for their children.
15 And I—in righteousness I will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

And now, let us look at what David wrote when God was showing him our savior on the Cross—just listen to the anguish of our savior, though he was God, he was man also, and these words come from the broken heart of a man

Psalm 22 (New International Version)
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8 "He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him."
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me [b]
in the dust of death.
16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
19 But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

So, do we need to pray in a formal way? Do we need to wait till we are in church to pray? Or can we, even like our savior, cry out our anguish and our need with honest and heartfelt words? As you can see from the Bible itself, the answer is always yes.

And here is our precious savior’s promise to us each time we do.
Matthew 11 (New International Version)
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Thank you, Karolyn, for this very sweet and thoughtful message.

You may email Karolyn at phillipsk@sbcglobal.net

Comments?