While talking to one of my friends, I was refreshed by their honesty about a current situation: “I was angry…but God can handle our feelings.†There is often the temptation to put on the mask of perfection or plaster on a smile when our world feels like it’s falling apart. My friend understood: God does not want us to stuff our feelings inside and suffer silently, He wants us to be real. He desires all of us: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Romans 8:1 breathes life into whatever we may be going through: in Jesus, there is no condemnation. As children of the King, we are His forever, and our spirits testify to this truth along with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14-16). We have a God who desires that we come to Him with all our burdens and worries because He cares for us so deeply (1 Peter 5:7).
There was a woman in ancient Israel who got real with God. Hannah had been longing for a child of her own for years, and her soul was consumed with grief. While worshipping at the Lord’s house, Hannah poured out her tears, bitterness, and anguish before the Lord. She was so raw and real that Eli, the high priest, accused her of being drunk. In response to the accusation, Hannah replied, “I was pouring out my soul to the Lord†(1 Samuel 1:15).
We will all walk through inevitable times of darkness, but we can follow the example of Hannah and countless others who have gone before us. We can pour out our hearts to God. The Psalms give ugly-beautiful raw pictures of many who suffered and chose to bring their struggles to God. Psalm 88 is filled with phrases such as: “I am overwhelmed…my eyes are dim with grief…darkness is my closest friend.†In the midst of all this realness…is beauty. Verse 13 says, “But I cry to you for help, Lord…â€
Not only does God hear our cries, He accepts us fully. May we allow this knowledge to draw us close to Him in our times of suffering and struggle. May we pour out our hearts to Him and choose to praise Him in the middle of the mess. • Savannah Coleman
• Do you tend to try to hide your pain and struggles from God or from those around you? Remember that God can handle your feelings—anger, sorrow, confusion, and everything in between. He simply desires that you cry out to Him.
Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8 (NIV)
Read Verses:
Ps.6.6-Ps.6.9
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