Before I get too deep into this note, let me offer a few words that I think are really important for you to hear, especially if your prayer practice is different from mine on this.

I want you to know that if we’re ever in the same room and you’re praying, I’m not sitting there judging your prayer or your relationship with God through how you express your heart in prayer. Of all the people on the planet who shouldn’t be having people hear her prayers sometimes, it’s me! 

I think God knows our hearts and He can handle us.

I don’t think He is parsing words, thinking we are lacking or wrong by how we petition the throne of grace for Him to hear our hearts. 

So, let’s make sure that is settled right here at the outset, ok? 

My heart for you and your pursuit of God is fully supportive of the unique way He has wired you and the personalized way He is shaping your life, right here, right now.

Now – for the reason you decided to read this post…

At first glance it may seem like I am pitching some heretical nonsense and perhaps you should run – fast…

That’s ok – I get that. 

I’ve heard one-liners from people before and thought, “Yeah, I gotta go…”

But at the most basic level, here is my angle on this:

The reason I don’t pray, “God, be with me” is because He already promises over and over in the Bible that He already is.

IS.

Not “sometimes.”

Not “when I’m good enough.”

Simply – always – is with me… with us.

With that, my logic is: 

Why be praying for something to be that already is?

It’s like praying for the sun to emit light. 

That’s what it does!

So when it comes to asking God to be with me, I mean – it’s already a done deal.

It’s not my opinion – it just is.

He said it would be so, and so it is.

Our God is a promise maker and He is a promise keeper.

Case closed.

Don’t you just love that, by the way?

We have a God who isn’t divided and isn’t spinning His wheels wondering how in the world He will find time for us.

He’s got this thing in the bag! 

He knows what He’s doing, and He’s got the whole world in His hands… just like the old hymn tells us. :)

So, instead of praying, “God, be with me….” I pray this:

“God, let me see You at work in this… let me feel You in this… make Your presence so obvious that I cannot debate it….”

The fact of the matter is, I know He sticks closer to me than a brother.

I just want to feel that.

In my most aggressive prayers, I’d like to say, “If you’re here, God, let me see You!”

And then I am reminded of my old friend Moses.

Moses begged God for the same thing.

And how does God respond?

“You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” [Exodus 33:20]

Alright – now listen…

I try my best to learn from those who have gone before me. 

And if God told Moses that people can’t see His face and live, well – I’m not going to press the issue! 

But God, in His kindness, said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you…” [Exodus 33:19]

And maybe that’s just the thing we actually need to know….that God is still a God of goodness, and that He makes it pass before us, and that we can have an unrestricted view of that.

We can know without a shadow of a doubt that He is with us, always, because He already promised that.

So perhaps it’s time to turn our prayers to the things we know we really want – which is to see evidence of that through the goodness that only He can bring.

It’s there.

He’s there.

The question is: 

Is our heart willing to see Him in the ways He chooses to present Himself, even when it’s not the way we’d prefer?

May you seek and find the goodness of God right where you are.

He is with you.

Always.