Emotions are one of God’s greatest gifts. At times, they may feel like enemies. Yet God wove them into each of us for many good reasons.
One of these is to focus your prayers so that they transform your life. To do this, follow a few simple steps:
Step 1: Tell God what you feel. To begin praying your emotions, be honest with God. Tell Him exactly how you’re feeling. Filter nothing. Let it all out.
Step 2: Tell God why you feel that way. As best you can, tell God the reasons, events, or beliefs behind your feelings. You might know immediately where they’re coming from. If not, focus on them. Let yourself truly feel them. Then see what comes to mind. Often, that’s the source.
Step 3: Ask God to help you in the midst of it. When you pray, don’t push your emotions away. Don’t try to find a neutral frame of mind. Feel your pain, even when you don’t want to. Remember: “the Lord is near to the broken-hearted” (Ps. 34:18, ESV). Focus on the pain that breaks your heart. Then ask God for help. I promise you—when you hurt, He is near.
Step 4: Find something about God that applies to the situation—then pray it. Pray God’s own character and promises back to Him. God loves fulfilling His promises. You might say, “Jesus, You say that You will never leave us. Well, I need You here with me now. I need the peace of knowing You’re here, and that You haven’t given up on me.”
Then breathe—and let God answer.
KYLE DAVISON BAIR is the founder of Swift Hope. This is adapted from his book Quick Help: Immediate Solutions for Life’s Challenges.
