"I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble." Psalm 142:1-2 NIV
I read a devotional today from The Upper Room written by a woman in Pennsylvania, who was lamenting that she had felt that God was blessing others, but not her and her husband. Her prayers seemed to go unanswered. She was not thanking and praising God for His great blessings, as she saw others doing.
After talking to a Christian friend, she realized that her prayers had been the scripted and polite type. Just praying “for God’s will to be done.” She was not sharing the depths of her spirit. Gushing out her concerns. She noticed in Scripture how so many people poured out their hearts to God. Even complaining, as King David did in Psalm 142. There is even a whole book in the Old Testament, filled with complaints – the Book of Lamentations.
God wants you to be honest with Him. To pour out your heart, whether you are celebrating or lamenting. God desires a sincere and open relationship with His creations. And as we are honest with God, He will cultivate our hearts so that they align with His. Then, God can bless us with the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).
Note: To submit a prayer request to the church, click on Prayer Request - St. Andrew's United Methodist Church . Unless you specify it as “Confidential,” the request will be emailed out on Tuesday’s Intercessory List. They will also be prayed for by a small team of people, called the Prayer Team, who are dedicated and committed to regular and ongoing prayer for the concerns of this church and our community. If you would like to join this team, contact Pastor Gary at gary.rideout@saumc.net.
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