Are YOU an honest person? It is a fair question and one that, most of the time, I would take pride in saying, “Yes, I am honest.” Well, at prayer meeting on Wednesday, we were taking a fresh look at a familiar passage of scripture, the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6, and God spoke to me about being honest with Him when I pray.
I know you think your pastor should be honest with God, and I thought I was. I try to be honest with my feelings, telling him when I am discouraged, angry, happy, thrilled, overwhelmed by His blessings and My responsibility. But God reminded me of my prayers a few days ago when I was trying to say the ‘right thing the right way.’ I was pausing, trying to find the exact words to say, to sound right before God. I wanted Him to hear me say something intelligent, mature, spiritually profound.
What? Who am I kidding? Doesn’t God know all things? Doesn’t He know what I am feeling; struggling with; my lack of verbal skills? I may have searched for the right words to express what I was feeling for my own benefit. But that was not the case. I was trying to impress God! I wanted Him to think highly of me. Instead, I showed Him, and me, just how far I have yet to travel in my Christian walk.
Do you know how to impress God? Don’t lie to Him about yourself! Be honest with your weaknesses. Tell Him about your doubts and fears. He knows you should trust Him, and He will meet you where you are. Honesty with God breeds trust in Him. Do you hear that, Wayne? Be honest, tell the truth, don’t try to impress the one who doesn’t need to be impressed. He loves you where you are.