In the Bible, a father brought his sick son to Jesus. He said, "If you can help us, please do." Jesus answered, "Everything is possible for one who believes."
The father could have pretended to be brave. Instead, he said something honest. "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
He believed and didn't believe, all at the same time. And Jesus was happy with that prayer.
God does not want fancy words. He wants your real words. When you are scared, tell Him. When you are happy, tell Him. When you are not sure what you feel, tell Him that too.
You can talk to God like you talk to your best friend. He loves hearing your voice, even when your words are messy. Especially then.
πTalking to God
The Night Light
Talking to God with honest words
September 30, 20262 min readNIV
"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
β Mark 9:23-24 (NIV)
Help my unbelief
Today's Story
βοΈFictitious Story
The cool pillow pressed against Phoebe's cheek. Rain pattered softly on the window. Across the room, her little brother Ethan sat up in his bed.
"Phoebe," he whispered. "Why do we pray?"
Phoebe remembered what their teacher had said. "Because we should," she answered. The words felt flat and empty.
Ethan tilted his head. "But what do I say?"
Phoebe opened her mouth, then closed it. She pulled her blanket up to her chin. "I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe we just tell God what happened today."
She closed her eyes. "God, I ate too much rice. And I was scared of the thunder."
Ethan slipped on his headphones, making a quiet space just for him and God. His voice was small. "God, I miss Grandma."
The rain kept falling, soft and gentle.
Reflection
Think About It
β’ What happened today that you could tell God about, in your own words? β’ When do you feel like you need to say the "right" prayer instead of the real one?
Prayer
Father, thank You for the quiet night, for the people I love, for hearing me when my words are small. Thank You for wanting my honest heart. All glory to You. Amen.
Live It Out
Tell God one thing that happened today, in your own words.