FRIENDSHIP IS A GREAT gift when we can be authentic, sharing our hearts without the need to perform or have all the answers.
Jesus offers us this profound friendship, as He says in John 15:15, “I have called you friends because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.” Throughout Scripture, Jesus demonstrates His gentle invitation for people to trust Him with their fears, burdens and desires. Jesus gently presses in and encourages people to reveal themselves more deeply so that they may receive what we are all ultimately seeking: communion.
When we approach God in prayer, we do not always get the answers we seek or the goods we desire. However, this does not mean God does not listen or care about us. In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis notes, “Friendship… is born when one man says to another ‘What! You too? I thought that no one but myself…’” The more we bring everything into our relationship with Jesus, the greater our thoughts, feelings and desires resonate in His heart, and we will receive the promised gift of communion with God. We then can learn how to define ourselves with Jesus in all things and not apart from Him.
This Lent, consider cultivating the daily habit of telling Jesus everything, as you are aware of what is going on in your heart. By seeking moments of silence, you can become aware of your present thoughts, feelings and desires, and invite Jesus into these moments of your life. Although God places no obstacles between us and Himself, there are certain lies from the Enemy and obstacles that we may need to overcome to share our hearts fully with God.
OBSTACLE #1: “GOD ALREADY KNOWS EVERYTHING; WHY SHOULD I TELL HIM?”
While it’s true God knows our hearts intimately, He also knows our inherent need to be known and loved. Created in His image, we are called to receive and give love freely. Jesus asked the disciples on the road to Emmaus, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” (Lk. 24:17). This invitation to reveal ourselves before the One who loves us makes us receptive to His truth, healing and freedom.
OBSTACLE #2: “GOD IS TOO BUSY FOR MY PROBLEMS; THEY ARE UNIMPORTANT.”
God delights in every honest act of self-revelation and generosity, no matter how small. Jesus acknowledged the generosity of the woman in the temple who gave two coins (cf. Mk. 12:44). Likewise, all our experiences, great or small, matter in our relationship with Jesus because we matter to Him. When we share our hearts with Him, He will help us discern what to pay attention to and how He invites us to receive His love more fully.
OBSTACLE #3: “I DON’T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS MYSELF.”
Our hearts are often filled with conflicting and varied thoughts, feelings and desires. When words fail us, Scripture, especially the Psalms, provides the words for prayer. The Psalms are prayers that encompass the full range of human emotions. Jesus turned to the Psalms during His ministry, especially during His final moments on the cross as He cried out to His Father (cf. Mt. 27:46).
OBSTACLE #4: “I’VE ALREADY TOLD GOD ABOUT THIS.”
Repeatedly sharing with Jesus deepens our relationship with Him. True surrender means entrusting our thoughts, feelings and desires fully to His care rather than holding onto them or taking them back. Sometimes, the same experiences may resurface, and Jesus invites us to share them with Him again so as to receive even greater grace and healing. Ultimately, sharing our hearts with God fulfills our purpose: communion with Him and others. In this relationship, we are free to be vulnerable, be fully ourselves and trust in His unconditional love. By telling Jesus everything throughout the day, we are more receptive to His grace and can respond joyfully to His invitations.