An Open Invitation

But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

— Matthew 6:6

There is a single prescribed course of action for every circumstance you will ever face. It’s not distraction or good deeds or comfort food. God’s prescribed course of action for every circumstance you will ever face is prayer. That’s why the Bible tells us to “pray constantly” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, emphasis added). We’re told to pray when we’re suffering and again when we’re cheerful. We should pray when we’re sick and when we’ve sinned (James 5:13-16). We should pray when we know what to say and when we don’t (Romans 8:26). The biblical reasons to pray go on and on, because there is no situation in your life that shouldn’t invite God’s involvement.

And Jesus’s words in Matthew 6:6 teach us that God’s involvement is actually the reward.

There’s no reward in being known as the person who prays the best prayer around the Thanksgiving table. There’s no reward in being someone who uses the most spiritual-sounding language during prayer time at church. There’s not even a reward in being the person who is so known for prayer that he or she is often scheduled to open the Sunday morning service that way.

Prayer doesn’t have anything to do with being impressive. No one can be gut-level honest with a god they think needs to be impressed. And God wants your honesty. When you accept God’s invitation to come to Him with complete transparency, you stop trying to measure up. You let Him fill your cup instead. The reason we can pray constantly about any and every situation we ever face is that prayer is an open invitation. Whether you’re happy or sad, having the best day of your life or the worst, God is right beside you, inviting you to turn to Him. And He is your reward.

• Listen to Matthew West’s “The Place Only We Know.” What lyrics stand out to you as particularly encouraging? Which stand out to you as challenging?
• Is “The Place Only We Know” a good descriptor of your prayer life? What needs to change so that you can relate to God in that ultimate way?
• Be gut-level honest with God today. Tell Him what you’re sad about and happy about and even what you’re confused about. Thank Him for His open invitation to pray constantly and for the reward of knowing Him more.