James 5:13-20: Everything, Like With Your Best Friend

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. - James 5:13-20

 Whatever is going on, talk to God about it. Part of our attempt to protect ourselves is to hide what we is going on that isn't so beautiful or try to spin the narrative so that we come out looking ok. We often do that with prayer also, as if talking to God was like posting on Facebook. Talk about the good stuff, but hide the bad stuff unless we're really angry and then we tell the whole world how angry we are. But it seems to me that these verses teach a different approach: talk to God like your best friend. The thing about best friends is that are happy when you're happy and sad when you're sad and straightening you out when you've gone off course.  Hiding is a fear response and tells a lot about what we think of God. I know that when I pray I have to stop myself and talk to myself and say, "Tim, who are you trying to kid when you said that." So I have to rewind, rewind, rewind and try saying those prayers again, not the way my press release would read abut how my conversation with my best friend would read. Honest.