Pour Out Your Heart Through PrayerNäide

Approaching the Father in Prayer

Over the past few years, my prayer life has ebbed and flowed; many dry seasons and powerless morning quiet times have come and gone. But as I’ve pressed further into the presence of God, he has been gracious and faithful to meet me with an increased love for him and for others. Perhaps you know this feeling well too. Or perhaps you long for it.

These days, I’m simply asking for more—more of God’s presence, more of his Spirit’s fruit ripening in my life, more Christlikeness as I walk with Jesus. To seek more of God is not to be discontent, but rather it’s a content, sitting-on-the-Father’s-lap prayer of a weaned child, seeking to be fully engaged in God’s presence (Psalm 131:2).

Our lives are powerless apart from prayer. Prayer is the way in which we enter the presence of God and gain access to his strength, peace, and wisdom. And the more we experience God’s presence in prayer, the more we will keep turning to him. Prayer cultivates a hunger for God. Prayer makes us more content (we are happy with less) and hungrier for God’s presence (we only want more). But that doesn’t mean it comes easily.

I wonder if you can relate. Do you struggle with busyness, distraction, and, most deeply, the plaguing fear that prayer might not do much at all? And do you know why you have this fear? Because you’ve been lied to your entire life, just as I have. You’ve been told that everything depends on you. As a result, you move through life in a lonely, anxious hurry. You must grind. You must hustle. You must make things happen.

But life is not supposed to be a grand flurry of effort.

When you approach our Father with the posture of an eager child, with a humble faith and spirit of expectation, you really can receive a heart at rest and move out into the world with joy, peace, and power.

Why hold it all in? He knows what you want and need. Pour it out. And God promises to pour his own joy, peace, and strength into you. “Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8). “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). “Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out” (Psalm 55:22 MSG).

He really means it. Come before the living God and pour out your heart. Don’t worry about getting your prayers right. Don’t try to clean up your thoughts and feelings first. Don’t hold back; he can handle it. Pour out your fears, frustrations, and struggles; pour out your hopes and dreams and desires. Let it flow like water.