A Broken Heart

You know, sometimes I really struggle in prayer.  I don’t always feel like my words have validity, and so I feel disconnected.  I may go through the motions anyway, but I don’t always feel that God wants to hear what I have to say at the moment.  As a result, it’s difficult to pray on others’ behalf, let alone for myself.

And at those times when I don’t feel connected to God, I’m typically in a place where I’ll decide to come back when I’m ready.

But I’ll never be ready if I’m without humility.  Being humble before God is a key component to our relationship.  If I act casually towards the Throne of God—even though he’s given me permission to approach him, even address him so personally—then I clearly don’t understand where I am.

I must be conscious of my sin—however great or small I may see it to be—and confess it all freely before God before I dare to approach his throne.   I must acknowledge my sins, and have a broken and contrite heart.  Only then can Christ’s redemptive power cleanse and purify me.  Only then am I in a position to approach the throne.

This is the same place of brokenness I found myself 25 years ago:  at the foot of the cross of Jesus.  I must return there each and every time I decide to have a heart-to-heart with him.  Because, only there, looking up at the cross of Christ, am I aware of the beautiful and awesome power of God’s love.

Only then, only there do I remember.  Only there do I remember who and where I once was.  And it’s there that I am welled-up and overwhelmed.  It’s there that all my cares fall away, and all I want is to worship and serve God.

And that’s when I’m ready to pray.