Being real with God

Heather Caliri writes at Relevant Magazine about being real with God.

About two years ago, at my wits’ end in faith, I tried a radically different approach.

I stopped doing Christian stuff I didn’t want to do.

Instead, I got brutally honest with God. If I didn’t feel like praying, I told Him, and asked Him to give me that desire. Ditto with the Bible, church, and other disciplines.

Funnily enough, that brutal honesty was the most earnest praying I’d done in years.

For the first time, I’m being honest with God and myself. Just as importantly, I am finally seeing that God is the author and perfecter of my faith, not me.

...I thought of prayer or Bible reading like sandpaper that would take off my rough edges. The more I disliked it, the more effective it was.

But that attitude wore me thin.

Lately, I’ve paid attention to ways I actually enjoy encountering God. Writing, liturgy, a prayer partner, worship music and long meditative walks give me regular ways of exulting in God’s presence.

The transformation this has wrought is nothing less than spectacular. I used to feel resentful when I spent time with Jesus. Now, being with Him is the best part of my week.

Read more here.