Opening my heart to the Lord and submitting what is in it is something I have been practicing during a season of weariness and testing. This scripture has been important in my recovery. Ps 142:2 NIV reads, I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.

Does that surprise you? It sure did me when I first read it. The Lord says, "pour out your complaints to me, tell me your troubles. Be real with me. Tell me how it really is when you draw near to me. Bring even your negative feelings and bad attitudes." He doesn't say, "Stuff it!" He doesn't say, like we often do to someone who offends us, "Forget it. It was nothing." He invites us to be gut level honest with Him.

Complaining / Submission?

Obeying this scripture pleases God because we are trusting Him with our deepest stuff. It's a form of submission, not holding anything back from Him. It causes our trust in Him to grow. Ps. 64:1 NIV is a supporting scripture where the psalmist says, Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint.

Pouring out my complaints to Him deepens my relationship with Him. It helps me depend on Him as my burden-bearer and experience His mercy, grace and rest. When I do this I leave his presence lighter and brighter. There's a spring in my step because I leave my burdens with Him. (Matt. 11:28-30) I used to try to cast my burdens on Him without doing this and, for me, it was incomplete, it didn't work very well. Now I "cut to the chase" and let it all hang out. I say, "This is what happened, this is how I feel about it." Submitting my complaints to him and leaving them there helps me stay positive and strong in faith, along with the things I shared in a previous post, Calm Down, Cheer Up!.

Humility is Essential

If we approach God with a healthy respect for who He is, we are in no danger. If we have a humble attitude of, "This is how I see it. How do you see it?" If we are willing to forsake our opinion for His, we can tell Him anything. At least that has been my experience. I do it regularly and have lived to tell about it, even prospered body, soul and spirit!