Songs of the Soul: A Lent DevotionalSample

Growing up as a relatively emotional child, I learned to hide my feelings. When I was 17, I left Hong Kong to study overseas. My parents went to the airport to see me off. My eyes were swelling up with tears as we hugged each other goodbye. But then I heard my mom whisper in my ear: “Don’t cry!” So, I quickly wiped away my tears and gave her a smile instead.

After becoming a Christian in my mid-twenties, I continued to perceive calmness and composure as a sign of maturity. I strived to be emotionally unmoved in front of others. Even in my personal prayer life, I censored my own thoughts and condemned myself for not trusting God enough whenever I felt angry, sad or disappointed.

But as I began to read the Bible and learned about the different prayers recorded, I was surprised to find prayers like this one in Psalm 38 where the writer poured out his heart out to God in such a candid way. The biblical term for this kind of prayer is called a lament which simply means an expression of sorrow, pain or confusion in God’s presence. Lament is not something our world values because it isn’t productive. It doesn’t provide a solution to the problem a person faces.

Now that I am a mother of two young children, I find myself encouraging my children to feel and express their emotions, both the positive and the negative ones. I shared with them that our emotions could be too much for other people at times but they are never too much for God. He doesn’t only accept them. He welcomes them!

What are some longings and suffering that you are facing right now? Bring it to your heavenly Father today and let Him comfort you.

Ricki Bote
Outreach

Prayer:
Father, help me to dig deeper within my emotions and allow You to redeem any brokenness that I have in my life. I surrender myself to Your care. In Jesus name, amen.