Prayer: A Matter of the Heart
Scripture: Psalm 13: 1-6
It’s no secret that we are all troubled by the current state of our world. As the pain of separation grips many homes and anxieties brew over the uncertainty of the future, I can only imagine the countless times heaven must have heard the questions “How long Lord? How long until the end of these dreadful days?
In this Psalm the writer David finds himself in a similar place. He is frustrated by the seemingly endless wait for relief from a situation. The undertones of anger and disappointment bears heavily in his cries for help as he beckons a response from God. But God’s apparent silence was taking its toll on him now and like many of us David pleads with God.
Trying hard not to crumble under the weight of his sorrow he asks, “How long, Lord?”, “Will you forget me forever…?” David’s words are as raw as meat; cut from the core of his untamed emotions. At first glance, His prayer seems harsh. But a closer look at it reveals something quite fascinating about David’s stance on prayer.
David knows that when it comes to matters of the heart, God is not concerned with the “rightness” of words—how eloquent they sound—-how serenading they are. Rather, God is most concerned with the honesty of the heart. So, instead of a camouflaged expression of his emotions, David lays his feelings bare before the Lord. It is here, in these moments of vulnerability with God that the course of David’s prayer changes.
As the Psalm comes to an end there is a striking twist in David’s mood. His poignant pleas now become a prayer of praise as his attention shifts from the problem before him to the faithfulness of the God above him. He ponders the bounty of God’s goodness and realizes that despite the rockiness of life–whether sweet, uncertain, bitter or joyful–in all of it, God remains steadfast. This revived affirmation of God’s faithfulness activates a surge of hope that shatters the gloom of David’s soul and fills his heart with rejoicing! In the candidness of his prayer, David finds consolation in the Lord.
Sometimes we can become too wrapped up on the perfection of our prayers. But in the words of Charles Spurgeon, “True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance…it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth.” When we pray honestly and vulnerably to God, we open ourselves to a spiritual exchange that bids us to trade the agony of our helplessness for emboldening faith to trust that God is more than able to sustain and deliver us regardless of the challenges we face. This blessed assurance of hope then fuels an attitude of praise! Therefore, as you navigate these days, may you not grow weary in prayer, but may you be reminded that The Lord delights in those who will seek him earnestly; for them there is a provision of strength and comfort for the waiting.
written by Captains Dwayne & Kendacy Barnes, THQ Finance & Women’s Ministries, USA East
