You Are Not a Burden to God - Your Nightly Prayer - September 18th

Your Nightly Prayer

Audio By Carbonatix

By Rachel Wojo, Crosswalk.com

Your Nightly Prayer

You Are Not A Burden to God
Your Nightly Prayer
by Rachel Wojo, Host of the Untangling Prayer podcast

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

"How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!" - Psalm 116:5

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Have you ever caught yourself starting a prayer with an apology? "Sorry to bother you again, God..." or "I know I just talked to you this morning, but..." We approach the throne of grace like we're interrupting a busy executive who's already given us more time than we deserve.

During the years when my daughter Taylor was battling her gradual neurological degeneration, I found myself saying the same phrase over and over: "It's me again, God." I'd whisper it in hospital hallways, in my car after difficult doctor appointments, and during those long nights when seizures would wake us both. Each time, I felt like I was wearing out my welcome, like surely God was getting tired of hearing the same desperate mother with the same impossible requests.

I remember one particularly overwhelming week when Taylor had been hospitalized, insurance was denying a needed test, and I'd missed so much work that my income reflected the pain. That Thursday night, I sat in my kitchen surrounded by medical bills and felt completely defeated. When I started to pray, those familiar words came out: "It's me again, God. I know you're probably tired of hearing from me, but..."

Something stopped me. Maybe it was the Holy Spirit, maybe it was exhaustion-induced clarity, but I suddenly heard how I sounded. I was talking to the Creator of the universe like He was a neighbor I'd borrowed sugar from one too many times.

I had made God smaller in my mind than He actually is. I had limited His capacity for love and His desire to hear from me. I forgot that He delights in our relationship. The God who knows every hair on my head and who bottles up my tears was not rolling His eyes when I came to Him again.

Psalm 116:5 reminds us that our God is not just gracious, but full of compassion. The Hebrew word for compassion here, "racham," comes from the word for womb, describing the deep, tender love a mother has for the child she carried. God doesn't tolerate our prayers; He treasures them. He doesn't endure our repeated requests; He welcomes them.

You are not a burden to God. Your anxiety about tomorrow is not an annoyance to Him. Your repeated struggles with the same sin don't exhaust His patience. Your middle-of-the-night fears don't interrupt His rest—because He never sleeps anyway, and He's been waiting to comfort you.

Whatever brings you to God tonight, whether it's the first time you've prayed about it or the thousandth, know this: He delights to hear from you. You are His beloved child, and beloved children are never burdens to good fathers.

Will you pray with me?

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Heavenly Father,
Forgive me for the times I've approached You like I'm a bother instead of Your beloved child. Thank You that Your compassion never runs dry, that Your grace is new every morning, and that You delight in our relationship. Help me to come boldly to Your throne, not because I deserve it, but because You've invited me there. Tonight, I release the lie that I'm too much for You. I receive the truth that I am loved, welcomed, and cherished by You. Thank You for listening every single time I call Your name.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. God's Endless Patience: Think of the most patient person you know. Maybe a teacher who never gave up on you, or a friend who listened to the same problem multiple times. Now multiply that patience by infinity. That's a glimpse of how God receives your prayers, no matter how often you bring the same concerns to Him.

2. A Father's Delight: Imagine a parent's face when their child runs to them with scraped knees or exciting news. There's no irritation, only love and attention. This is how your Heavenly Father looks at you when you come to Him, whether in joy or desperation.

3. Your All Access Pass: Remember that Jesus tore the temple veil in two when He died, giving you direct access to God's presence. You don't need an appointment, perfect words, or a clean heart to approach Him. The invitation is always open, and it's written in His blood.

As you drift off to sleep, remember this: God never tires of hearing your voice. Your prayers don't drain His patience; they demonstrate His love. You are not a burden; you are His beloved.

Thank you for joining us tonight. We hope this prayer has encouraged your heart. If you're struggling with feeling like you're too much for God, we invite you to check out Rachel's book, Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments. You'll find real-life stories and encouragement for those times when you feel like you're wearing out your welcome with God. You can learn more at desperateprayers.com. The link is in the show notes. Until next time, remember, God sees you, He hears you, and He delights in every word you speak to Him.

Rachel Wojo is an author, public speaker, and podcaster who hosts Bible reading challenges on her popular blog, rachelwojo.com. Her biblical approach and life circumstances influence women to find strength and hope in everyday situations. The ideal desperate pray-er to shed light on asking God questions, Rachel’s journey includes losing her mother to leukemia, her adult special needs daughter to a rare neurologically degenerative disease, and her father to illness. She is the author of Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life’s Darkest Moments. Mostly, Rachel is crazy in love with Matt, mom to six on earth and two in heaven.

If you're looking for guidance on deepening your prayer life in tough times, I invite you to check out my new book, Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments. You'll find real-life stories, prayers, and practical ways to connect with God when you need Him most. You can learn more at desperateprayers.com.