Sometimes, when reading the Bible, you come across something jarring: raw emotion, unfiltered pain, or even what seems like rage or hate. Or just pure lament and questioning directed at God. Psalms, especially, can catch you off guard with verses that cry out in anger, despair, or confusion. And you might wonder: Why is this in the Bible? Shouldn’t Scripture be more polished, more… holy? But here’s the truth: those raw feelings are there for a reason.
God invites honesty. He welcomes your real self, not just the polished, Sabbath-best version. The Bible doesn’t hide the messy emotions of grief, doubt, and anger. Instead, it mirrors them, giving us language for our pain and permission to lament. The Psalms teach us that it’s okay to come to God with our deepest questions and strongest emotions, provided we do so with humility and reverence.
As Diane Langberg says, “We must not forget that we serve a God who weeps.” We serve a God who doesn’t flinch at our grief or get offended by our sorrow. He doesn’t turn away from our anger, either. He embraces the brokenhearted and hears the honest cry, no matter how messy.
When life feels impossible, like when King Jehoshaphat faced an unbeatable enemy, we can echo his desperate prayer: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). That kind of raw honesty is acceptable to God.
So the next time you feel like your prayers are too angry, too doubtful, or too broken, remember the psalms. Remember Jesus in Gethsemane. Remember that God can handle your emotions, even when you can’t. You can be honest with God. Many mistakenly believe their grief and questions, and anger are ungodly,” but such feelings are “mirrored in the Scriptures and not condemned,” which might encourage us “to lament the evil and suffering.
Bring Him the real you. He’s not afraid of it.
Christ Our Advocate
