Longing for MotherhoodShembull

Day 4: Pray Your Tears

In the book of Psalms, we see David and the other psalmists sharing with the Lord exactly what was on their minds and hearts. In Psalm 13, David bluntly asks the Lord how long he’ll have to suffer. He felt forgotten, and cried out to the Lord in his sorrow and frustration. He was bold in his prayers before the Lord. He knew where to take his questions, his grief, his pain, and his longings—straight to the heart of his Father. 

As we walk through childlessness, may we remember that God invites us to pray our tears. We don’t have to hide from Him. He created us and longs for us to tell Him what’s on our hearts. The Lord cares about the intimate details of our lives and our hearts. Here’s an example of what it might look like to pour out your grief and tears to the Lord in prayer: 

Father, only You know the depth of my grief. I know because You wept at the tomb of Your friend Lazarus. Though I struggle to put my grief into words so that people understand, I’m thankful You have felt what I feel. I trust that You know the distress of my soul even when it seems grief and sorrow are my constant companions. And I know You are always with me. Thank You for walking this path with me and carrying me through it, as You “put my tears in your bottle” (Ps. 56:8).

Rest in the fact that you can pray your tears into the heart of your Father.