There have been many recent reminders of how God answers prayers at just the right time. There are also reminders of how he not only answers prayers, but of how little faith many of us actually possess. We demonstrate small faith when we only give to God the situations and circumstances in our lives that spiral out of control and leave us overwhelmed.

We say "There is nothing left to do but pray" as a release of finality. Often this phrase is an unintentional but faithless confession that resembles the Benjamin Franklin proverb stating that we have helped ourselves all we can, let's see if God can do anything.

Too easily we forget that God does not only want us at our breaking points. He wants our entire being. He does not want us to look to him only when we feel there is nothing else we can do. He wants us when there is rain and sunshine, storm and calm. He wants us wholeheartedly.

Psalm 25:1-2 says, "O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God!" Ironically, it is this point of complete and uninhibited release of our lives to God where we find freedom. Most of us think of freedom as the ability to come and go where we please or do what we please. Freedom is not found in being able to do whatever, whenever, constantly struggling to find acceptance from self and others. Bondage is trying to please and never be found pleasing.

Freedom is an unshakable foundation in which we were first loved and therefore are free to love. Freedom knows we were first pursued by God as he sought to liberate our lives. His divine action made us free to express all that he has created us to be. Freedom knows that the only audience to our lives that matters is the unconditional love and hope that comes from the Lord.

God wants your entire being. He wants to transform you from the inside out. He wants to make you into a new creation. He wants to own your life. He wants to free your life. He wants you in the good and the bad.

Rob Hurtgen is a husband, father and serves as the associate pastor at the First Baptist Church in Jackson.