Hey you guys! This is Kelsie Millet and I am your host here on the Let Him In Podcast, where
my intent is to have these episodes full of thoughts, impressions and ways for you to easily let God into your every day.
As a reminder we are going through a few of my favorite devotional/ thoughts that can be found in the book Simple Steps for More Meaningful Prayer by Leigh Brown. It is linked for you in the description below for those of you interested.
Ok, Here. We go. Today’s thought-
We need to be specific in our prayers- pray for people by name, ask for specific blessings, and make specific promises to our Heavenly Father.
Elder Gene R. Cook declared, “ The Lord will be involved in the specifics of your life if you invite him to be…I bear testimony that the problem with most of us is that we do not ask specifically enough or perhaps with the strength of real intent. How much the Lord wants to bless us, and yet many of us will not ask”.
Concerning prayers of repentance and forgiveness, Elder Neal A. Maxwell cautioned, “A vague prayer is hardly a prayer at all… We may be too embarrassed to bring before the Lord specific weaknesses we have, yet he knows of them anyway. We thus prevent ourselves from gathering and gaining the strength we might need to overcome them. Admitting aloud (though in private) our weaknesses and stating our promises is sometimes better than just thinking of them. Dealing with our specific weaknesses is far better than simply praying that we will be more righteous.”
Whew. Ok. This one is a little intense I will admit. I read it and specifically the line, a vague prayer is hardly a prayer at all… ugh. Like does that not just hit you like a ton of bricks. SO I will never be one to discourage whatever effort we are currently giving. Because like I have said a million times, effort is still effort. And I do believe that God does truly know our hearts and intentions. And no matter how small our effort may be. I do think it is still worth continuing.
But, I do agree that this is kind of the next step. That taking the opportunity to really be open with our feelings, and to not feel like we need to hide behind them, or be embarrassed by them. This is definitely going to allow ourselves to be able to grow, to be able to fully use the atonement, and too be able to truly connect with God in prayer. It is when we are willing to be in that vulnerable place that our relationship with God and Christ can really flourish.
Just the same as it is with our earthly relationships. We feel so much closer and more connected to those that we can be fully ourselves, fully honest, and allow ourselves to be vulnerable.
With all that being said, I think there is something really special that can also happen when you show up to God with something very specific to say. This doesn’t have to be something life altering, or something vulnerable. It can look and be as simple as letting him in on your excitement about your new painted family room. Or that you were able to spend an awesome morning with your kids without them fighting. I mean it can literally look like whatever you want it to be. My point is that when you show up to God, SHOW UP. Be you. Be fully you. Be specific in what you are wanting and feeling.
If you have the Hear Him journal, that beginning section where it says Heavenly Father today on my heart…it is the perfect spot for you to consolidate your thoughts into something specific and share it with God.
I just want to encourage you today to really try hard to be specific and try to fully embrace who you are in front of God and see what comes of it.
For those of you that do have the Hear Him journal, Now would be the perfect time to pull that out and continue in more stillness, an open mind and a desire to connect with God.
Love you guys!
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