Have you ever found yourself struggling with the right words to pray when things are tough? Do you find yourself guarding your own words so you don't say the wrong thing or become too vulnerable in your prayers? One of the hardest things for us to do is to be down-right honest and transparent with our Father when we're hurt, in trouble, or facing major difficulties.

Listen to the passion in David's words today: "I poured out my complaint before Him; I showed before Him my trouble." (Psalm 142:2)

To paraphrase it, "I dumped all my complaints on Him and told Him all my troubles." David held nothing back – he let it all out before the Lord. He didn't allow his own fears or insecurities keep him from total transparency before his God. He came before the Lord with an unguarded heart and trusted Him enough to love him still, even while he was baring His soul.

David was facing more than just a routine inconvenience in life. Saul and his army were after him to kill him though he knew the Lord had anointed him as king of Israel; he just saw 85 priests and their families and livestock slaughtered because they helped him escape. Everywhere he turned he was in trouble. What did he do? He turned to God and he "poured out all [his] complaints on Him and told Him all [his] troubles".

God is there ready to avenge our enemies. He longs to fight our battles for us. He has offered us refuge and a sanctuary from the enemy's snare. But we still hesitate to run to Him with a transparent heart when we're overwhelmed.

Be like David today; pour out your heart to Him. If you feel abused and neglected, let God know. If you are misunderstood or mistreated, let God know. If you are perplexed and not understanding the 'whys' and 'wherefores' of life, pour out your heart to Him. Don't hold back. Let Him know the deepest groanings of your heart, the secret pain, the hidden sin, the offenses that have hindered your growth, the times you've been overlooked and passed over for recognition or promotion—let Him have it all.

Do you trust Him enough to tell Him everything? David did and David was a man with a heart after the heart of God.

Father, forgive me for holding back and not trusting You enough to be totally transparent with You, as if somehow You don't already know the secret recesses of my heart. Lord teach me to trust You with the desperation of my need and to believe without doubt that You love me enough to give me refuge in the midst of every storm. Teach me, O Lord, and I will learn from You how great is Your love toward me, how awesome is Your salvation, and how magnificent is Your holy Name. In Jesus' name, for His glory, and by His blood . . . amen and amen.

© Jan Ross
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