The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth – Psalm 145:18
During the two-part season five finale on Abbott Elementary, Barbara Howard—the mother-figure—agreed to speak with Janine to impart her wisdom about handling disputes in a relationship. She began by sharing a recent marital conflict with her husband, and that its resolution required acknowledging the real want. Barbara encouraged Janine to address the “want behind the want” with Gregory, which has little to do with whether they fly or drive to their vacation.
The episode’s storyline resonated with me as it resurfaced instances during times of prayer when I hadn’t been forthright. I had chosen not to make my real wants known, but instead had petitioned for a band-aid, not the ointment. I wanted to be seen and heard, yet I chose to give God halves of me. I had forgotten that even though God already knows the undisclosed version of my prayers, He desires to be trusted with their root.
Janine was upset with Gregory for not giving her what she really wanted—connection and affirmation—because she hadn’t chosen to make her real wants known. This will never happen during our time with God, when we choose to “call upon Him in truth.”