Most of us know that prayer is a vital spiritual discipline, serving many purposes. As it relates to our emotional well-being, prayer is an absolute gift; it is an invitation to settle into the gracious presence of God and “let it all out.”
Prayer provides two of the most important elements of emotional health for us: expression of raw emotions and a safe place to do it. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” God knows we won’t feel safe or comfortable expressing the deepest parts of our souls if we are met with condemnation and anger. That’s why when He invites us into prayer, He is waiting with grace and mercy, eager to listen and able to help us.
Here are some ways to weave prayer-as-emotional-expression into your everyday life.
1. Borrow prayers from Scripture.
When emotions are overwhelming, it can be difficult to find words to express what we feel. For those who struggle with opening up, borrowing prayers that have been written or spoken by others is tremendously helpful. The Psalms capture the entire human experience and bring us into the presence of God. Psalms of joy, praise, celebration, lament, anger, justice seeking, fear, longing….it is all there in 150 places! Let a psalm find you in whatever place your soul is in and make those words of the psalmist yours.
Most of the book of Job is also prayer. Job was not just musing and lamenting to himself in his suffering, he expressed it all to God even as he struggled to understand God. His words can become our words as well.
2. Pray in the moment.
We are feeling all the time, whether we act on those feelings or not. In fact, we carry the presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit with us continually. When Paul reminds followers of Jesus to “pray continually” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, he likely had this in mind. When we are moved by joy at God’s gorgeous creation, or when we are nervous before having a difficult conversation, we can express these feelings in prayer. Whatever we are feeling, we can express it to God as it is happening.
3. Ask someone to pray with and for us.
A few months ago, I was sick with the flu and needed to cancel a meeting with my mentor. I texted her early in the morning to let her know. A few minutes later, she texted back a beautiful, heartfelt prayer. She asked God to heal my body and help me discern what to take out of my schedule to get rest. In that short text, her words expressed things that in my illness and fatigue I couldn’t express. She gave me spiritual and physical strength through her prayer.
I have a small group of friends that serve as intercessors for me. When I am facing tough situations in my practice or sensing the presence of evil, I ask for prayer. The Holy Spirit leads them to know how to pray for me without the details. Whether in person, or through technology, the prayers of others on our behalf is healing to our souls. Some people truly have the gift of knowing how to pray for others and it is wonderful to be a beneficiary of their gift!
In joy, happiness, fear, anger, or pain, prayer is both an invitation and gift. Our gracious and merciful God is delighted to have us enter His presence with full emotional expression. We are made for this, and our souls will grow healthier in the process.
