Father, I need You! I need You now! There are so many things going on in my life that I just can’t carry by myself anymore. So many situations that I try to control, circumstances that I fight against. I need to give it all up to You and let You manage it. Thank You that I can, at all times and for all things, come to You and You will hear me and answer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Fearless Fervency

1The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: 2“Thus says the Lord who made the earth,the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: 3Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.4For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defense against the siege mounds and against the sword: 5They are coming in to fight against the Chaldeans and to fill themwith the dead bodies of men whom I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their evil. 6Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. —Jeremiah 33:1-6

My grandmother used to sing a song all the time that speaks to an urgent issue you and I have today. The song goes, “Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry every thing to God in prayer.”

It’s true. Can I ask you this—are you carrying something right now that you should have offloaded to God a long time ago? “Call to me,” God says in Jeremiah 33:3, “I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” God says, don’t wait outside, come on in. Now, what is it that you need? Speak up; just ask!

That fearless fervency in prayer doesn’t come easily to many people. The vast majority of the followers of Christ have never risked such raw honesty. People are afraid somehow that they’ll offend God, or that He’ll see them the way they really are (as if He doesn’t already know!)

Please hear me; God can handle your anger. Read the Psalms. David said some really shocking things to God and God didn’t walk away. Step up in faith and say, “I don’t get this,” and “I need to have Your heart in this.” Without honesty, prayer is just talking to yourself.

God can handle your fears. What if He doesn’t come through for me?What if His answer is something I can’t handle? Good questions—I think you should go talk to Him about that. Remember—He asks you to come.

God can handle your doubts, too. Do you have a big question mark about God’s love for you? Does He even care what happens to me?Does He see me over here? Open your heart, again honestly, before Him. He promises to show you “great and hidden things that you have not known.”

If you find yourself in a crisis where you can’t reconcile what you’re seeing with a faithful God, call on Him now! Anger will only eat away at your confidence in God; as will doubt and fear. Fervent fearless prayer is the weapon that will defeat these enemies. Don’t forfeit God’s peace or carry any more needless pain. Call on Him in private, honest, fervent prayer. Kneel down and do it now. —James MacDonald

Journal:

· What burden am I carrying that I need to offload to the Lord today? Why am I holding on to it?

· Do I come to God in fervent, honest prayer or try to sound “mature” when I pray?