Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- May 5, 2012
“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.
I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.”
1 Samuel 1:15
Sometimes your soul pours out in passionate prayer. The hurt is so deep, the loss so great, and the burden so heavy, that your soul exceeds earnest prayer. Your emotions increase in intensity to the point that your prayers become speechless. Somewhere between the bottom of your soul and the tip of your tongue the words evaporate. Sometimes your extra heavy heart feels constricted and emits groans that only the Holy Spirit can discern.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26).
It’s not only okay to go there, it’s necessary. This level of soul-searching prayer is what brings peace to one painted with pain. After your soul has been delivered onto God’s platter of prayer, you are able to rest in His peaceful presence. It is during this non-trivial travail in prayer that your soul finds solace.
As in childbirth, your pain progresses until it is released by God’s act of grace and gravity. Your burden is birthed and becomes a blessing. Your hurt has been gestating for months, even years, so release it from your hurting soul. It has lodged itself deep within and, over time, has whittled away your joy. You have become hard to live with and you struggle to love yourself. Latch onto your Lord and don’t let go, for He is there for you.
He is listening even when you don’t speak or your communication is nothing but moans. Continue to seek the face of your heavenly Father, for He is there as a present hope. But hope deferred will keep your soul sick (Proverbs 13:12). It may seem silly to pour out your soul to the One you cannot see, yet faith serves as the eyes that gaze upon your heavenly Father. Soul care is His passion, for what you pour out in grief and resentment, He replaces with comfort and forgiveness.
Once you pour out your soul to your Lord, you can leave it with Him and move forward in the power and peace of the Holy Spirit. Fill your now emptied soul with your Savior, and let Christ cover you with confidence, serenity, and security. If you leave your soul empty of the eternal, Satan will fill you with the lingering lies of guilt and worry (Jesus explains this principle in Luke 11:24-26).
A poured-out soul gives the Lord more to work with. His love will lift you higher and higher to heights of affection that make angels envious. What is poured out, He fills; what is broken, He mends; what is hungry, He feeds; what is thirsty, He quenches; what is hurt, He nurses. Allow Jesus to be the keeper of your soul. His nurture and care are unparalleled. A soul made whole generates gratitude and generosity.
A soul poured out flushes out faithlessness and fear, allowing it to be filled with faithfulness and trust. People in denial may think you are strange or weak pouring out your soul to God. However, you know better, because this is the avenue to intimacy. When you pour out your soul to the Lord, He fills you up with Himself. A life full of Jesus is the best place to live. You can trust Him with this level of transparency. Don’t doubt; just pour out.
Taken from May 5th reading in the 365-day devotional book, “Seeking Daily the Heart of God”… http://bit.ly/bQHNIE
Post/Tweet this today: A soul made whole generates gratitude and generosity. #soul #wholeness
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Wisdom Hunters is a great source of understanding and encouragement in the word.
Thank you for this beautiful message today. I hit the center of my heart and brought me to tears. I am this woman and the pain I am carrying is taking a long time heal. This message was a good reminder that there is hope and I am pursuing it with all my might.
Thank you –
Hi, that was a breathe of fresh air. Poured out is an awesome principle that motivates us to be fresh for God and to be pro active in growing and maturing our faith. two thumbs up
This is a very much needed reading for me Today,as my soul n heart are heavy ladden. I am going thru a terrible tragedy and my Grief is almost unbearable,I have sought out the Lord often But having trouble Recieving the peace n comfort I seek.Please send prayers my way!!!Memorial Service Tomorrow at 2pm .A Grief stricken soul am I reaching out for the Heavenly Touch I need so MUCH !! From Michele in EAST MOLINE,IL….
Yes!!!!!!!!LIz
I, like the woman, have no words for my physical pain sometimes. The pain is so intense that what most people take for granted like normal sounds, lights, and even talking is painful. It has become so intense over the last 10 years that there have been times I have wanted to die, but the hand of God always pulled me back and given me another path when I just knew I could not stand another minute. This week was one of the roughest times, yet, but I felt God’s loving presence through my husband’s kindness, a friend who I hardly know who reached out through email to offer encouragement and possible medical help in the future, and from this very website.
One thing I have been taught through this terrible suffering is that I would have never been able to take time to read my Bible in it’s entirety or find out just how God really does answer our prayers, maybe not on our time, but on His time with His devine power and knowledge of what is best.
Thank you so much for this
“Poured Out” devotional because it says all I couldn’t say, but have always felt. Seems like God always puts the things we need right in front of us – it just takes us to see them.
I have gotten into the habit of just opening my bible and letting it fall where it may for daily scripture reading. It is truly miraculous how the readings always seem to be exactly what I needed to hear on that particular day.
God bless you for this wonderful devotional and for reaching out to minister to those in need to hear God’s word especially when we are not physically able to go to church.
Hi Michele,
Have just gotten to read your note and am very sorry to hear of your loss. It is so amazing how God puts His word right in front of us for comfort because He knows just what we need when we need it.
I am praying that you will find comfort in prayer and knowing that others care for you and will help you get through this difficult time.
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need like from your friends or neighbors because many times, they want to help but don’t know what to do. I’m praying for you:
“Lord, please help this lovely lady who is feeling so desperate and sad to feel your tender, loving arms wrap around her keeping her strong and uplifted with your loving kindness.
Amen.”
Thank you for sharing your inspiring testimony. I’m humbled that the Lord has spoken to you through the WH devotionals and pray He will continually draw you near to Him.
Michele – I’ve recently gone through the loss of a loved one and can relate to the grief you are describing. You have my prayers and I will also pass on your note to our Wisdom Hunters prayer team.
Thank you John
Thank you Joan and our Wisdom Hunters prayer team will continue to pray for your healing.
I understand this kind of prayer, I have experienced it for a long period of time, it has been in place for the last 12 years of my life. This season of my life is truly going to be about getting healed from the affects of war that “has lodged itself deep within” as my US Marine Son of 12 years is being medically retired and this US Marine Mom of 12 years is stepping off her “watch” and becoming just a mom again. I have been pouring out my soul to God in “anguish” for my US Marine and His Marines for 12 long years. My soul needs to be replenished after a long ride with the horrors of war. War is awful and it grates on the soul of the family of soldiers. I am ready for God to heal me and restore my soul, so I can say once again… It is well with my soul.
Thank you so much for sharing about your son. No doubt he (and you) made an incredible sacrifice by his service to our country. I will definitely pass on your prayer to our Wisdom Hunters prayer team.
Thank you. I so appreciate that. God Bless you HUGE!