Pour Out Your Troubles

SCRIPTURE
Psalm 142:1-3

1 I cry out to the Lord;
I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
2 I pour out my complaints before him
and tell him all my troubles.
3 When I am overwhelmed,
you alone know the way I should turn.


PRAYER

Lord, sometimes ______ just has a need to come before you and unburden his heart. He feels the pain of trouble in his life, and the pressure gives vent to a respectful complaint. He has a case to build for what he would like you to do. I pray that you would release the constraints on ______’s heart, and allow him the freedom to tell you what he will. Lord, bid him follow the Psalmist example, and cry out with a plea for your mercy and a detailing of all his troubles. Somewhere in the expression there is hope and comfort to be found, we know. So pull from his heart the depth of pain that he holds there. I pray that he would release that pain into your hands, with details. You are big enough to handle even the raw blast of emotion he feels. You are able to sift through the words and hear his true heart. He has no risk of being misunderstood by you Lord. Give him permission in his soul to speak from that place of being overwhelmed. And as he does, I pray that you would reassure him that you alone understand the situation, and you alone know the change in direction that he needs. From the expression of pain, show him your direction Lord. Make it as clear as day. Help the eyes of his heart to see it. Help the feet of his will to follow your direction Lord, follow it completely. Amen.


ENCOURAGEMENT

There is no shame in feeling pain, and in venting the full blast of your emotions to God. He can handle it. Tell him where you hurt, why you want it to change, and what you want him to do. It’s called prayer, and it may not look like a church prayer, but it will certainly look like a prayer of Psalm 142. God will be pleased, and you might just find some direction waiting at the other end.