Honest Emotions

Read Psalm 42:1-11

There are times when Jennifer Brigandi, from Ontario, wakes up discouraged. There is no particular reason for her to feel that way, but nonetheless the feeling is overwhelmingly there. Jennifer struggles to find motivation and purpose. As a result, she becomes angry with herself. She thinks,I should be thankful! God has blessed me with so much. She berates herself and tries to fix the way she feels. When that doesn't work, she feels ashamed that she has a comfortable life but still feels sad.

Psalm 42 reminds her that many people in the Bible also felt discouraged. As verse five demonstrates, sometimes they too felt disheartened for no apparent reason. This psalm teaches her that it is human to feel discouraged sometimes. But no matter the cause, we can be honest with God about our emotions. God does not expect us always to be happy. Our Creator just wants us to be honest. The Almighty hears our cries and is ready to comfort us when we faithfully open our hearts.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we cry out to you in our discouragement. You are our help, our peace, and our comfort. You are the source of our hope, in Jesus' name. Amen.