What do we do with all the sorrow, grief, pain, and tears in our lives? Some religious people tell us to repress our emotions; some secular people tell us to express our emotions, as if emotions are the most important thing. What does the Bible say?

The Psalms tell us to expect tears. There will be times when we are crying. But, the Psalms also tell us to pray our tears, our emotions. The Psalms teach us to be honest with God and engage with him at a raw level in our prayers. Where your tears belong is not managed and packaged prayer; they belong in a pre-reflective outburst from the very depth of your being in the presence of God.

Why is it that we can pray like this in front of the most holy God? Because through the cross, Jesus made it possible for us to be so secure in God that we can approach him without any pretense, just as we are, messed up, even theologically incorrect. God understands our tears, pain, brokenness, and the messiness of our heart. And he is saying to us, pray your tears, pray your heart, as it is: raw, pre-reflective, the real authentic you.