Silas
Beloved of All
God hears the prayers that are never spoken out loud. You do not need to find perfect words or explain every detail, because your Father already knows what you need before you ask Him. Prayer is not giving God information He lacks. He sees everything and knows everything about you, and everything is open before Him.
What matters to Him is not the posture of your body or the volume of your voice, but the condition of your heart. People look at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. He hears the silent cry that comes from bitterness of spirit and heaviness that cannot be put into words, just as He heard Hannah when she could only pray within herself. Your quiet amen in the name of Jesus is heard.
Because He knows your heart better than you do, it is good to invite Him to search you. You can deceive yourself, but you cannot deceive Him. Ask Him to show you what is truly inside, to reveal any wrong way in you, and to create in you a clean and pure heart. Jesus said the pure in heart will see God, and God delights in a heart that seeks Him with the whole heart, not halfheartedly.
Come honestly before Him. There is no use trying to paint a better picture of yourself, because He already knows the truth. Scripture says if we hold onto sin in our heart the Lord will not hear us, but it also says God does hear the sinner who prays, God be merciful to me a sinner. When your heart is turned toward Him and you come through Jesus Christ alone, who alone brings access to God, He does not hold your failures against you but cleanses you by the blood of Jesus.
Prayer was never meant to be a way to get your own wishes granted or to change His purposes. True prayer begins with God and His will, and it is a way you cooperate with Him so His will may be done on earth. He already purposes to give you what is right, and He loves you as your heavenly Father with your eternal good in view, not only your temporary relief. As you pray, even silently, you open the door for Him to do what He desires to do in your life.
May the Lord in His mercy search your heart and make it clean, keep covenant and mercy toward you as you walk before Him, and deal bountifully with you. May He show you His will, give you His love in place of any heaviness or fear, and answer your silent prayer according to His perfect wisdom and goodness in Christ.
What matters to Him is not the posture of your body or the volume of your voice, but the condition of your heart. People look at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. He hears the silent cry that comes from bitterness of spirit and heaviness that cannot be put into words, just as He heard Hannah when she could only pray within herself. Your quiet amen in the name of Jesus is heard.
Because He knows your heart better than you do, it is good to invite Him to search you. You can deceive yourself, but you cannot deceive Him. Ask Him to show you what is truly inside, to reveal any wrong way in you, and to create in you a clean and pure heart. Jesus said the pure in heart will see God, and God delights in a heart that seeks Him with the whole heart, not halfheartedly.
Come honestly before Him. There is no use trying to paint a better picture of yourself, because He already knows the truth. Scripture says if we hold onto sin in our heart the Lord will not hear us, but it also says God does hear the sinner who prays, God be merciful to me a sinner. When your heart is turned toward Him and you come through Jesus Christ alone, who alone brings access to God, He does not hold your failures against you but cleanses you by the blood of Jesus.
Prayer was never meant to be a way to get your own wishes granted or to change His purposes. True prayer begins with God and His will, and it is a way you cooperate with Him so His will may be done on earth. He already purposes to give you what is right, and He loves you as your heavenly Father with your eternal good in view, not only your temporary relief. As you pray, even silently, you open the door for Him to do what He desires to do in your life.
May the Lord in His mercy search your heart and make it clean, keep covenant and mercy toward you as you walk before Him, and deal bountifully with you. May He show you His will, give you His love in place of any heaviness or fear, and answer your silent prayer according to His perfect wisdom and goodness in Christ.
