Rewards of the Secret Place
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6
Increased Intimacy with God
God designed us for relationship with Him. We were created with the desire to be known. He didn’t just intend for us to be casual acquaintances. He designed us for intimate union with Him. The prophet Hosea wrote that the Lord spoke, saying, “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion… I will show my love” (Hosea 2:19, 23b). Just as a passionate husband pursues his wife and shows her his love, so the Lord as our bridegroom pursues us and demonstrates His love to us. He longs for an intimate relationship with his bride. Like the intimate physical union between husband and wife happens in privacy behind closed doors, Jesus, as our bridegroom, is inviting us to intimate union with Him. There alone in His presence, we block out other voices; we worship the majesty of who He is; and we are drawn deeper into knowing Him and feeling known ourselves.
More Secure in God’s Love
God doesn’t just tolerate and appreciate you from a distance. He cherishes you and delights in being with you. He feels excited every time you come to spend time alone with Him. He aches to spend time with you and to have your undivided attention. When you are undistracted and present to His love, it thrills His heart and transforms your soul. The more time you spend in secret prayer the more secure in God’s love you will be.
Our culture is filled with millions of distractions and diversions. Social media, Netflix, and work deadlines all scream for our attention. These are all counterfeit fulfillments. When we dare to withdraw for time in secret prayer, our souls are restored to God’s original intent; a person who enjoys being completely loved. The Holy Spirit delights in awakening our souls to feel God’s love. We were made for delighting in Him!
Greater Joy in Daily Life
Life is filled with disappointments, trials, and sorrows. However, the place of greatest joy is found when we are communing with God in secret prayer. There, as we are focused completely on God and His goodness, the Holy Spirit unlocks our souls to experience the joy of His presence in remarkable ways. There is no greater joy this side of heaven! The Psalmist David knew and experienced this in his secret prayer life. He wrote passionately, “You will fill me with joy in your presence” (Psalm 16:11).
Larger Impact and Fruitfulness
We all want our lives to matter. God has given us a purpose. His purpose is that we might glorify Him and share His love with the world. Each of us do this in different ways, and we find out our specific path through abiding. He wants you to grow in fruitfulness both internally and externally. He wants the fruit of the Spirit and the power of the Spirit to grow in you. The fruit of the Spirit and power only develop as we abide with Christ in secret prayer. The deeper your roots grow down into Him the more fruit of His Spirit will flow in you and His voice will become louder to you. Time spent in secret prayer is where your roots grow deep into the LORD’s goodness and love that leads you to His will during the day. This is what the Psalmist meant when he wrote, “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither” (Psalm 1:3). The place of secret prayer is where we become rooted in Christ. As our roots sink down deeply into Him, our purpose becomes clearer and His voice leads us in Kingdom work throughout our day.
Peace in the Face of Life’s Challenges
Research tells us that mental health issues are on the rise. Anxiety, fear, depression and a host of other illnesses plague our society. One of the best practices for releasing anxiety and embracing calm is secret prayer. As we learn to pour out our hearts authentically in prayer, the Holy Spirit takes that burden off our shoulders and we experience a release of anxiety. The Psalmist David wrote, “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you” (Psalm 63:3). As we shift our focus to praise and glorify the LORD when we pray in secret, the Holy Spirit soothes and calms our anxiety. Our souls are transformed from anxious to peaceful.
Secret prayer is the place where we position ourselves to be transformed by God. As we learn to enter the secret place, shut the door, and commune with Him, our souls will be changed. We will grow deeper in our intimacy with God, experience greater joy, enjoy a larger impact and fruitfulness, and receive deeper calm. When we walk in peace we can impart peace to those around us.
