Talk to God about everything

 

Is prayer like talking to God? 

Yes, we can understand prayer as conversation with God. However, it is important to note that God initiates the conversation. This may seem counterintuitive. Our experience in prayer is often that we do all the talking and wait for God to respond. Or that we have in fact not been doing much talking with God at all—perhaps for many years—and now have to find some way to begin an awkward conversation.

Yet most religions, especially Judaism and Christianity, understand prayer as a response to God’s self-revealing love. We speak to God because God first spoke to Abraham (Gen 12; 15; 17), to Moses (Exod 3), to the prophets (Isa 6:6–13; Jer 1:4–13, Ezek 1:28–3:11), to Mary (Luke 1:26–56), and especially through Jesus, the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). Whenever, wherever, and however we enter the conversation, it is always in response to God who “first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

What can I talk to God about?

About anything. In prayer we can share our thoughts (even the less noble ones), our feelings (even the embarrassing ones), or our decisions (even our indecisiveness). Prayer is not a matter of presenting God with fine ideas, holy sentiments, and perfect manners. We can bring to God our “broken spirit” (Ps 51:17). God prefers “an open ear,” attentive to the Divine Word more than any impressive sacrifice or costly offering (Ps 40:6–8). Prayer is less the etiquette of diplomatic conversation with royalty, and more a family exchange in which we are as honest as possible in speaking and as open as possible in listening.

Whatever we bring to God is blessed by our bringing it. Whatever we talk to God about becomes a kind of sacrifice that is transformed and made sacred by God’s receiving it. We can bring anything to our conversations with God.

Source: Kelley, Joseph T., 101 Questions & Answers on Prayer. 

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God, thank you for the gift and privilege of prayer. Thank you for speaking to me and revealing Yourself to me. Thank you for reaching out to me in love. 

Help me to remember to talk to you daily and often because You love to hear from me, not just about the "big things". You also want to hear about every little thing in my life, even the areas of my life that are broken and embarrassing because You love me and want to help me and bless me.

I thank you, in Jesus' Name

Amen

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