All In

Lately I have been talking with God and praying about something that seems too foolish or too trivial to bother God with. But I figured this is something that is important to me, who else am I going to share this with? If I do not feel comfortable enough to take this "trivial" concern to the One who knows my heart and soul completely and the One who is really in control of my life then something is not adding up. If we cannot trust God fully with our deepest secrets and biggest longings then who can we trust? I think we so often turn to God with the things that seem "Godly" enough that we forget that God so desperately wants us to come with all of our concerns--no matter how trivial they might seem.God is not a genie God, I am not trying to say that you should wish to God for a pony but what I am saying is that God is our friend. We often just label God as a parent, someone who cares for us, protects us and provides for us but in a lot of cases we don't want our parents to know everything. So who do we tell? Sometimes we keep them inside and a lot of times we tell our friends. While God as a parent is a significant, and I think necessary image of God, I think we should also relate to God as our friend. A close confidant that we can trust completely and tell our deepest darkest secrets and longings of the heart to. What would our faith look and feel like if we gave God our all?One of my oldest, dearest and nearest friends and I hung out today and talked about being fully committed to God. We both have always been faithful and in close communication with God but recently in my personal relationship with God something has shifted and suddenly I feel as if I am deeper in my faith and relationship with God than ever. I used to read verse 17 in First Thessalonians "pray without ceasing" and think "well I am doing that-I pray to God all the time." And sometimes those prayers included stuff like help my find a parking spot, let me merge onto the interstate without issues etc. (I think God has heard those prayers and answered them at times). I would pray to God about big stuff too but I don't think I gave it my all, I don't believe I was really all in with my prayers and my faith. To me, what Paul means is that we should be in deep communication with our Lord and Savior at all times; with murmurs of our heart that come deep from within our souls, with everything no matter how trivial or seemingly small.Romans 8:26-27"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."If it is important to you then it is important to God. If you trust God with the small stuff then you will be much more willing and able to trust God with the heavy big stuff. God searches your heart and knows everything that weighs it down but you will feel closer to God if you speak aloud the concerns, desires, fears, anxieties and joys that are there. God is here for you and greatly desires a relationship with you. Talk to God and know that God is right there with you sitting holding your heart and listening.My faith has plunged deeper and I am in this incredible and unique place--one where I am learning to trust God with every aspect of my being, where I am all in this relationship and by being all in I am fully committed to the bumpy, beautiful and brightly colored life that only comes with being God's. I think now I am beginning to fully understand what Paul meant when he said "pray without ceasing," I still pray for help merging on the interstate and for serious stuff but I am learning to use my whole heart and my whole being to do it. I am wading deeper and deeper into the waters of faith and though, more times than not, I seem eccentric I have no doubt in my mind that this is where I am suppose to be. Paul has words addressing this as well:Romans 12:2"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect."Let us stop being ashamed of giving our all to God and being dependent for this is not weakness it is strength. Romans 12:9 "...'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."Wouldn't it be nice to live such a life with such a faithful loving friend? Trust God with everything no matter how small it may seem--God does not care, God wants you to share. Share everything with God, deepen the conversation and deepen the relationship with God because God is patiently waiting for you to. Go to the One who will always listen, always care and always will be there. Depend on God, give all of yourself to the One who is completely good and trustworthy. I promise you will never be disappointed.Sisters and Brothers give God your all. Trust with every fiber of your being in the Lord who loves you and protects you. God wants you to trust him with everything--small, medium and large problems. Nothing is off limits with God--go and give your heart freely to the one who treasures it. Let us stop being afraid to profess our faith and express the goodness that God is.May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.