Praying Your Emotions to Feel God’s Love
Do you desire to experience God’s love more deeply? The Apostle Paul prays for those who love and serve God to know his love experientially and not just theoretically (Ephesians 3:14-19).
But the path to deeper intimacy with Jesus sometimes surprises us. It includes not only trusting Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins but also learning to trust him with our hurts, needs, and emotions.
I never used to understand this. I was anxious and depressed all the time, but didn’t know why.
Now I can see how the role I played in childhood made me overly earnest. My days were consumed with getting good grades, working to save money for college, and helping my parents raise four younger children.
The pressure to be perfect kept my stress internalized. I didn’t know how to feel emotions without judgment, release my distress, and receive the comfort I needed.
Being disconnected from my emotions made it hard for me to feel God’s love.
This traveled with me into adulthood and into ministry. Maybe you relate. It can seem dangerous to look inside and feel when people see you as a strong spiritual leader.
But this attitude keeps us from God’s comfort and from comforting others by his Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). It’s our humanity that allows us to draw on Jesus’ power for ourselves and others as we serve them (2 Corinthians 3:4-6; 12:9).
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas á Kempis helped me express my humanity — emotions of stress and temptation — and feel a desire for intimacy with God and others.
This 15th-century monk drew me into the spacious place of crying out to the Lord (Psalm 118:5). He taught me how to converse with God honestly and embrace his grace (Hebrews 4:15-16).
After reading a chapter of his book, I was led into a time of emotionally honest prayer and meditation:
God, I desire so much more than this world can give me. I don’t belong here. I don’t fit anywhere. I’m stressed all the time.
Yet I sense that you see me, sitting here alone with slumped shoulders and downcast eyes. You understand my feelings of loneliness and insignificance. You affirm that my true comfort and refreshment won’t be found by looking at this world.
I hear your invitation, “Look to the Spirit of Christ all around you. He cares for the needy, helps the humble, and makes his children glad. I give you a foretaste of heaven from Christ’s ambassadors who listen to your inward person and offer my comfort.”
Lord, help me to patiently wait as your Spirit of Grace manifests to me. My true happiness is rooted in you and your activity. I seek only your consolation. I am willing to do whatever you ask with the reassurance of you by my side.
There’s no formula for praying for your emotions. But hopefully this example gets you started.
You could also try praying the Psalms to process your fear, sadness, grief, and joy with God. Immanuel Journaling is another conversational way to pray through your emotions to receive God’s empathy and affirmation.
Maybe you feel like you need guidance? Soul Shepherding retreats are designed to help you go deeper with Jesus in emotional health and loving leadership. You’ll grow in emotional honesty as you learn about Jesus-centered psychology and practice spiritual disciplines (like the ones above) in safe community.
I pray the Holy Spirit fills you with his love as you pour your heart out to him.
This article is submitted by Soul Shepherding. Soul Shepherding is a Missio Nexus member. Member organizations can provide content to the Missio Nexus website. See how by clicking here.
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