Corona Friends Church
What Are You Carrying Alone?
October 25, 2026
Matthew Dietz
Upside Down Kingdom 2
Matthew 6:5-8
01 · WE BELIEVE IN PRAYER. BUT DO WE ACTUALLY PRAY?
THE QUESTION
We believe in prayer. But how often is prayer our
?
THE MOVEMENT
When life gets difficult, we often research, plan, worry, and try to control the outcome before talking to God. The way we respond can reveal who we're really depending on.
02 · PRAYER WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE A PERFORMANCE
THE MOVEMENT
Jesus assumes prayer is part of following Him. He isn't condemning public prayer; He's confronting the desire to impress people instead of genuinely talking to God.
KEY IDEA
Prayer isn't about who's
. It's about who we're
.
03 · THE ROOM, THE CLOSED DOOR, AND THE FATHER
THE MOVEMENT
Jesus invites us to intentionally make room to be alone with God. Prayer isn't a performance or a formula for the perfect quiet time. It's a relationship with our Father.
KEY IDEA
Prayer isn't about
an audience. It's about making room to be with our
.
04 · WHAT KEEPS ME FROM PRAYER?
ASK YOURSELF
What keeps me from
for prayer?
THE MOVEMENT
Distraction, busyness, the desire for control, or discouragement can keep us from talking to God. Jesus invites us to make prayer part of our everyday lives, not just our Sunday mornings.
05 · YOU DON'T NEED THE PERFECT WORDS
THE MOVEMENT
Jesus isn't warning against long or repeated prayers. He's challenging the belief that enough words, or the right words, will make God more likely to listen. We can approach Him with the honesty and simplicity of a child.
KEY IDEA
Jesus isn't asking us to pray
. He's inviting us to pray
.
06 · YOUR FATHER ALREADY KNOWS
THE MOVEMENT
God knows our needs before we find the words to express them. Prayer isn't about giving God information He doesn't have or trying to get His attention. It's about coming into the presence of a Father who already knows us.
KEY IDEA
Prayer isn't about giving God
. It's about having a
with our Father.
07 · WHEN YOU'RE STILL WAITING
THE MOVEMENT
Some of us have prayed for months or years without seeing the answer we hoped for. Jesus doesn't promise that every prayer will be answered as we want. But through His death and resurrection, He has opened the way for us to come honestly to the Father—even when we're hurting or disappointed.
KEY IDEA
Our confidence isn't in how
we pray. It's in the
who brings us to the Father.
08 · COME TO THE FATHER
HOLD ONTO THIS QUESTION
If your Father already
what you're carrying, what's keeping you from
it to Him?
THE MOVEMENT
Some of us need to begin praying again instead of carrying everything ourselves. Others need to know it's okay to keep coming to God even when we're exhausted from waiting. Whatever we're carrying, we can come to Him without perfect words.
💭 MY RESPONSE
What am I carrying today that I need to bring honestly to my Father?
REMEMBER THIS WEEK
Whether you've never prayed about it or you've prayed a thousand times, you don't need the perfect words. You can just come.
Personal Takeaways
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