Longing for Honesty

When was the last time you felt safe telling someone everything that was in your heart? It takes a lot of time and trust to reach that level of honesty with a person—someone with whom you hold nothing back.

God is that kind of person. He longs to hear everything, no matter how bad you think it is—even if it’s anger at Him for not fulfilling the desires of your heart. Jesus, who called Himself the Truth, said the truth would set us free.

We’ve been talking about God’s heart toward us in seasons of disappointment, revealed through Hannah’s prayer in the temple. She held nothing back when she came to Him. When Eli the priest thought she was drunk because her lips moved soundlessly as she prayed, Hannah responded, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit…I have poured out my soul before the Lord….I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.”

Interesting word, provocation. Hannah had told God how angry that Peninnah made her! And because of this, I also believe Hannah confessed any resentment or unforgiveness toward Peninnah. She would not have come away with peace if she hadn’t.

Nor, I believe, would she have been able to make the vow of surrendering a child to Him. It’s hard to surrender to the Lord with an unrepentant heart.

We need not be afraid to tell our Father the truth about our feelings toward our circumstances. Not only should we openly tell Him what it is that we long for, but we must confess and repent of any sin in the process.

It is He alone who forgives us, and He alone who can bring about change.