End at Amen

When you pray, don’t pour out a flood of empty words, as the Gentiles do. They think that by saying many words they’ll be heard. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask. Matthew 6:7-8

As someone whose default is to externally process (or think out loud), this “command” has always been super discouraging to me. I felt like I had to bring a polished, filtered version of my heart to God and, as a result, my relationship with Him suffered dramatically. I stopped being honest and I started hiding. When I was frustrated about life, I defaulted to apologizing for not being thankful enough. When I was anxious, I tried to “tough it out.” When I was sad, I tried to forget about it. 

It only took like three milliseconds of this mindset to usher in bitterness, discouragement, and hopelessness where strength and confidence once lived. 

It took a while, and a lot of hurt, to understand His heart in this verse- not that I would avoid relationship with Him but understand the power of one simple word. Amen. 

I realized that in the desert, in the wilderness, and in the lions den, “amen” alone is enough. Not that I can't bring everything to Him, but that “amen” is all I need to say.  Amen to hurt, amen to fear, amen to disappointment, because “amen” isn't an agreement with the challenge, it's a recognization that He is in it. 

“Amen” brings more peace, power, and freedom than any other words I can present to God. 

Regardless of the season you are in, I encourage you, as I am encouraging myself, to bring your unfiltered heart to the Lord. However, I also encourage you to end at amen. Not to run from the challenge, but to look at it straight in the face to say “amen.” To say “amen” to fear, or unsaved family, heaviness and shame, hopelessness and confusion. To not try and figure them out or make “it” go away, but to leave it at “amen.”

How spiritually powerful would we become if we learned that ending at amen is to win victory in spiritual warfare? How powerful when we realize that an amen from an empty cup ushers in more life than a thousand words. 

It's through our “amens” in barren seasons that the soil of our hearts is finally able to be tended to. 

Emma Young

Inspired by Amen, by Rita Springer