Jenny has begun a journey of praying her way through the Psalms that I have decided to join. Each weekend, we will pray through one psalm and post our prayer and/or meditations on that psalm as the Lord leads. Check out her journey and join us in Praying the Psalms.
Psalm 35
Honesty. He desires honesty. Not eloquent prayers made up of carefully chosen words. But honesty. He knows what our hearts are experiencing. He is not afraid to hear it. He put it in His word. Often. The uncensored, demanding, angry, desperate cries of His children.
Because He desires intimacy. And intimacy cannot exist without honesty.
And because He longs to heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. But He cannot if we do not offer that broken heart to Him.
I struggle with this. Raw honesty can seem irreverent. I find myself wanting to follow up statements of distress and disappointment with quick expressions of faith in His goodness and power. And that He is- good and powerful.
But unless I pour out what is really in my heart, I am only fooling myself. He knows already what I often dare not utter. He knows. Once I pour it out, it can be discarded. My heart can be filled with His truth, His love.
Father, help me to be honest with you. Help me to cry out to You as the psalmist does. To pour out my heart, my hurts, my disappointments before You. Help me to offer my broken heart completely to You. To receive Your healing and instruction. Thank You for wanting me and for wanting an honest, intimate relationship with me! In Jesus' name, amen.
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6 comments:
This is something I didn't even think of when I prayed this psalm, but you are so right. He knows before we tell him - as you said - but we have to tell him anyway for our own sake. Sometimes in the telling we learn more about being close to Him.
I too struggle with speaking "frankly" with God. If I do, I then feel the need to add something "positively spiritual" sounding. This takes away from the relationship, but I do believe it also makes sure the relationship is balanced. It's just like speaking directly to anyone else, you also want to add something positive in the conversation, just to keep it from tilting too much on the negative or heavy side.
Barbara, exactly! It's for my own sake. Thanks for stopping by and commenting :)
Jenny,
Yes, I know what you mean. I do not want to be irreverent when I pour out my heart. At the same time, I know I am not being honest if I try to sugar coat my struggles and emotions.
Thanks, Colleen! What a wonderful way to think about this- He wants to know if we know. Missed your Psalms meditation this week- hope all is well with you!
GREAT insight!!
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