Pour Out Your Heart

Why is this happening, God? When will it stop?” Tears fell as I poured out
my heart and journaled to the Lord. I had prayed for a particular person in
my life for years, but the grueling situation continued. My emotions ranged
from despair to anger.

What emotions have you experienced lately? What about in the last
twenty-four hours? Emotions encompass a wide range: love, happiness, fear,
anger, hatred, and more. Our feelings are typically affected by the
circumstances, people, or objects surrounding us.

The Bible is filled with people who experienced emotions of every kind.
Their stories display a wide range of human experiences, and through them,
I’ve learned that God can handle all our feelings. While He does want to
hear our praises and happy emotions, He also longs for us to share our
hearts, pouring out our negative feelings as well. We can see this modeled
in the book of Psalms.

David wrote over seventy of the psalms, and he is described as a man after
God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). In some of David’s psalms, he
praises God and gives thanks for all He’s done. In others, David is full of
lament, anguish, and despair as he questions God and wonders why his
circumstances have not changed.

David had a personal, intimate relationship with God. He shared all his
heart and didn’t hold back. God invites us to have this kind of
relationship with Him through Jesus. God knows our hearts, minds, and the
innermost thoughts of our being (Psalm 139:1-4). Even though He doesn’t
need us to tell Him how we feel, He desires us to share everything on our
minds.

Similarly to how human relationships grow with trust and communication, we
also grow closer to God when we share our deepest thoughts. God longs for
us to give our concerns to Him. He’s ready to handle our big questions. No
matter what emotions you’re feeling today, God is ready to listen to
everything you have to say. • Erin Nestico

• Why do you think God longs for us to pour out our hearts to Him?

• Are there any emotions you don’t feel comfortable sharing with God? Which
ones?

O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God
is our refuge. Psalm 62:8 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Psalm 61; Psalm 100; Psalm 62:8