Dangerous Prayers: Because Following Jesus Was Never Meant to Be Safe

by Craig Groeschel

As I reflect on my spiritual journey through this prayer, let me recap what God has been showing me. Search my heart, God. God showed me my hypocrisy. I often show people the me I want them to see. My words honor God, but my heart can be far from him. Know my anxious thoughts. I’m scared to death of not measuring up. I’m haunted by my insecurities. I’m paralyzed with fear that I don’t have what it takes to please people. See if there is any offensive way in me. Time and again, I’ve put the approval of people ahead of the approval of God. I’ve battled with wanting to be liked by people more than wanting to express my love for God. Lead me. And this is where the rubber meets the road. This is where things get real. This is where genuine, Spirit-filled, life-altering change becomes possible. When I put all these portions of this one dangerous prayer together and listen to what God wants to show me, it becomes clear: I’ve consistently battled with putting the approval of people ahead of the approval of God. This is perhaps my deepest inner spiritual flaw. It’s sin. And it’s keeping me from serving God with my whole heart. Why? Because becoming obsessed with what people think about me is the quickest way to forget what God thinks about me. Being obsessed with the approval of others is, in a word, idolatry.