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Question 3

Bercot argues that even though God already knows everything, He still wants to hear it “from our own lips,” using the illustration of asking his children about their day; what would change in your prayer life if you treated prayer less like “informing God” and more like giving God the relational pleasure of your honest words, emotions, and expressions?

Another way to ask: If prayer isn’t about giving God information but about talking honestly with Him, how would that change the way you pray? What would you say more openly—words, feelings, or struggles?

Direct Answer Based on the transcript, prayer would likely become more personal and emotionally honest—less about delivering information and more about sharing your life with God in a way that delights Him. It would also emphasize relationship, dependence, and gratitude rather than “updating” an all-knowing God.

Support from Transcript:

He raises the objection: “But God already knows my needs… so what’s the point of telling Him?”
His answer: “He still wants to hear about them from us… from their own lips.”
Illustration: although Deborah told him the children’s day, he still asked because “I wanted to hear it from their own lips… It brought me enormous pleasure.”
He highlights emotions and presence: he wanted to see “the joy on their faces or their concerned looks” and “interact with them personally.”
He applies it directly: “It’s the same way with God. He wants to hear you and me tell Him what’s happening in our lives.”

Discussion Follow-ups What parts of your “day” do you tend to hide or summarize quickly? How might speaking those plainly to God change your sense of closeness to Him?

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