Gò0dNews for Everyone
Unsanitized Prayer
H
by Kristen West
ave you ever felt like there are just some things
overlooked. A huge chunk of the Psalms was written
you can’t say to God? Or that when you do
by David. As you read through them, you’ll notice they
talk to Him, you somehow need to put your
are basically a collection of unsanitized prayers. David
words into a holy sentence structure? As a young Christ-
removes any religion from his conversations with God
follower, I sure did. I was convinced that if I didn’t polish
and tells it like it is. He says what he means, describes
my words and pray with certain religious verbiage, God
what he’s feeling, and pours out his every raw emotion.
wouldn’t listen. Nothing could be further from the truth.
David knew it was foolish to try and sanitize his
If you can’t be raw, unfiltered, and completely vulnerable
words. What would be the point? Didn’t God already
with God, then who can you be that way with?
see and know everything about him? Was there anything David had already said or done that God had not been privy to (Psalm 139:1-5)? The same is true for us today. God wants us to talk to Him— unfiltered, unsanitized, completely raw. He already sees your anger, worry, frustration, and bitterness. He already knows about that sin, secret, addiction, and heartbreak. There are no special words, phrases, or flowery church jargon that God is looking for. He just wants you—the real you—to talk to Him. Dump out the hurt, the pain, the anxiety, the fear… in your own words. Don’t hold back.
David, referred to as “a man after God’s own heart”
David didn’t. He brought his authentic, broken, and very
in Acts 13:22, is one of the best examples of this. David’s
real self to his conversations with God, was called a man
walk with God had more ups and downs, twists and
after God’s own heart, and saw God move in His life in
turns than the world’s best rollercoaster. He defeated
some incredible ways! “…pour out your hearts before
Goliath, became one of Israel’s most well-known kings,
Him. God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8, HCSB).
committed adultery with Bathsheba, had her husband murdered, and embarked on an abundance of other With the highs and lows of his life documented for all of us to study, the way he prays should not be
20 // August 2022
About The Author
exploits too numerous to name here.
Kristen West works at Rock Bridge Community Church with a heart for staff leadership, development, and care. She is a communicator with a passion to inspire, encourage, and challenge others in their daily walk with Christ. She writes and publishes weekly content on her blog at kristen-west.com.
