A Prayer about Praying Our Emotions
As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4
God of heaven,
Thank you for how your Word
teaches us to pray.
I confess, I don’t know where I got the idea
that prayer needed to be formal and stiff
and even a little stoic,
because the Bible is full of people (including Jesus)
laying their emotions before you in prayer (see Psalm 22, Psalm 88, Luke 22:39-46).
May we not merely observe Nehemiah’s prayer,
may we enter it,
engaging you with the cries of our heart
for the people we pray for,
including ourselves.
May we sit down (stop our busy rushing here and there)
before you, the God of heaven.
May we weep and mourn,
not just for five minutes but for fifty days.
May we focus our prayers
through fasting,
whether giving up food or phones or shopping or TV.
As we still ourselves before you,
may we hear your voice speaking
confidence and comfort over us.
As we get rid of the things we think are essential to our lives,
may we see you,
the maker of heaven and earth,
at work even now,
bringing your heavenly kingdom to bear
on the trouble and shame of this broken world.
In Jesus’ compassionate name. Amen.
Read Nehemiah 1.