You who fear the Lord, give praise!
All you offspring of Jacob, offer glory;
stand in awe, all you offspring of Israel!
For the Lord did not despise or abhor
the affliction of the afflicted;
nor hide the Lord’s face from me,
but heard when I cried out.
Psalm 22:23-24
Ask: for what you really want
Now for a completely different perspective on the ordering of our loves: in her book Consider the Birds, author Debbie Blue proposes that we really ought to pray for exactly what we want, even when we know that it’s probably not what God ultimately desires.5 In Blue’s model, we would celebrate the toddler’s prayer for chocolate, the high schooler’s prayer for the eradication of acne, or the prayer for a parking spot downtown when we’re running late for an appointment. These prayers may not be virtuous, but they are authentic. When we’re honest with God, God can be honest with us about what God wants, too. Authenticity is what makes the Spirit’s transformative work possible.
Today, be radically honest with God about what you want, big or small. Consider journaling about these two questions: what feels too small to ask God for? What feels too big to ask God for? Imagine God saying “yes” to these intercessions—even if the “yes” seems impossible—and notice whether joy arises in response. What does this expectant joy feel like?