Don't Be Afraid To Be Honest With God

Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely. - Psalm 139:4

A few years ago, I was sitting in a seminary class where the professor was talking about the importance of having an honest relationship with God. He said, “God is big enough to handle your emotions. He’s big enough to handle your honesty. Let Him be who He longs to be in your life, and don’t be afraid to communicate with Him honestly about how you feel.”

I thought about that statement all day: “God is big enough to handle your honesty.” And I thought about how I had a lot I wanted to talk to God about. You see, I had gone through a lot of rejection in the two years leading up to that moment. I had been rejected professionally. I had been rejected relationally, and it was all really starting to get to me. So I decided to take the professor’s advice and tell God how I felt.

So that afternoon, I went home, and I told God that I was sick and tired of feeling rejected. I told Him that I was over getting my hopes up and then quickly getting let down. I told Him I hated feeling like I wasn’t good enough. I told Him I hated that guys seemed to always choose their career or their lifestyle or another girl instead of choosing me. And I told Him I felt forgotten. 

I asked Him a lot of questions too - questions full of hurt and frustration and cynicism. Is this what I get for hoping, God? Is this what I get for putting myself out there? How long am I going to be stuck in this cycle of anticipation leading to disappointment? When am I going to get excited about something and NOT get let down?

I went on for a while, almost an hour actually, until everything was out on the table. I wish I could say everything felt better once the venting session ended, but it didn’t. I was still hurt, confused, angry, and disappointed. But I was also relieved. I was relieved that the seminary professor was right - God is big enough to handle my emotions and my honesty. He handled it all like a champ, even despite my bitterness and sarcastic questioning. 

So friend, wherever you are right now, whatever feelings or frustrations you’re dealing with, I can assure you, from experience, that God is big enough to handle anything you throw at Him. He’s not a hyper-sensitive, fragile God who will shatter the first time you tell Him how you really feel. Nor is He a harsh tyrant just waiting to punish you for getting upset with Him.

Let me remind you, just like I needed to remind myself, that He already knows what you’re thinking and feeling whether you tell Him or not. Nothing you say to Him is going to come as a surprise. He can handle it. He is strong. He is secure. He is compassionate, and He is gracious. He’s your Heavenly Father who wants nothing less than the best for His children. 

So, whatever you’re dealing with today, I want to challenge you to be honest with God about it. Tell Him what’s on your mind. You don’t have to filter it. You don’t have to cover it up with overly polite, pretty words. Just say what you’re feeling, straight up. Ask Him the hard questions. Let Him know that you’re insecure, or heartbroken, or disappointed, or angry, or confused, or annoyed. Take it from me. He can handle it.