"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

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This week, Brittany teaches on “The Honest Truth” — how cultural politeness and religious language often keep us from being real with God in prayer. Through stories, Scripture, and raw honesty, she shows how honest prayer is where God meets us with truth, freedom, peace, healing, and surrender. If you’ve ever felt like your prayers sound right but don’t feel real, this message is for you.

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Honest prayer reveals truth and freedom

- When we pour out what we’re really thinking and feeling, God meets us with truth that sets us free. He never reveals truth to harm us, but to bring clarity, healing, and freedom.

Honest prayer stops suppressing feelings but surrenders them

‍- Instead of pushing down anger, grief, or disappointment, honest prayer gives us a place to release it before God. What we stop suppressing, we can finally surrender.

Honest prayer shifts our perspective and brings peace

‍- When we stop trying to sound spiritual and start being real, our focus shifts from our problems to God’s character. In that honesty, He meets us with a peace that doesn’t make sense.

Honest prayer heals

‍- God can only heal what we are willing to bring into the light. Honest prayer opens the door for God to tend to the wounds we’ve been hiding.

Honest prayer bears good fruit

‍- Honesty turns the soil of our hearts so the Spirit can do His work within us. We don’t produce the fruit, but honesty makes room for God to grow it.

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Honest prayer submits to God’s will

‍- Like Jesus in Gethsemane, honest prayer leads us to surrender, not resistance. In being real before God, we are strengthened to trust and follow His will.

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Honest prayer reveals truth, brings freedom, shifts perspective, produces peace, begins healing, grows good fruit, and leads us into surrender to God’s will.

Discussion Questions

1. Where in your life have you been using “right” or spiritual language with God instead of telling Him what you actually feel?
2. What emotions do you find hardest to bring honestly into prayer (anger, doubt, disappointment, jealousy, grief)? Why?
3. Is there a situation in your life right now where you’ve been suppressing your feelings instead of surrendering them to God? What would an honest prayer about that sound like?
4. Brittany said, “The altar should be the messiest place.” What “mess” have you been hesitant to bring before God?

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