I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;

Psalm 77:1-2 ESV

Tossing a beach ball in a swimming pool with my grandkids is fun! But trying to submerge the ball underwater and keep it under is another matter. It meets with resistance. When I finally give in and let it go, it shoots up into the air!

Like an inflated ball is not designed to stay underwater, we are not designed to suppress our feelings. Doing so results in harmful health consequences.

I stuff my feelings. I do it without even thinking about it. I learned to do it during childhood as a means of self-protection. There must be a better way!

Psalm 77 is a psalm of lament to God. Lament is a way of expressing sorrow, grief, and pain with honesty and openness—primarily to God through prayer.

When we are in a trying situation or relationship and feel like God has been distant, consider facing the uncomfortable feelings and letting them out.

As we express our true feelings to God instead of submerging them like the beach ball, several changes take place:

We feel relief, even if the darkness hasn’t lifted.

Our trust in God strengthens and grows even through uncertainty and instability.

We can act according to reality.

We find rest in God.

As the Psalm progresses, the psalmist acknowledges all that God has done. By the end of the Psalm, the writer can confidently say, Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen (Psalm 77:19 ESV).

Faith has been restored. We are inspired to follow the same path of faith, trusting God more confidently.

Acknowledging and accepting your feelings in the present is the first step of changing. Next, honestly express them to God. Cry aloud.

Karen Sims