A Homeward Practice
Honest Prayer
Bringing your whole truth into God's presence.
Set aside ten quiet minutes. You may want a journal nearby. Honest Prayer is not a technique for making doubt disappear. It is a way of refusing to pretend and bringing the real question into relationship with God.
Arrive
Place your feet on the floor. Let your shoulders soften. Take one slow breath.
Pray: “God, here is what is true.”Name
Say or write the question, feeling, anger, fear, or disappointment without editing yourself for God.
Begin with: “What I cannot pretend anymore is...”Ask
What do you need? What do you wish God would do? Let your prayer be specific, even if it feels unfinished or impossible.
Begin with: “God, what I need right now is...”Notice
Is there one thread of trust, desire, love, or hope still present? Do not manufacture one. Simply notice what remains.
Perhaps the desire to keep seeking is itself a thread of faith.Rest
Sit in silence for one minute. You do not need to solve the question before you leave.
Close with: “I believe; help my unbelief.”
Try this for seven days.
Write one honest sentence each day. The aim is not certainty. It is a more truthful relationship with God.