The Benefits of Pouring Out Your Soul

Withiin our soul is our will, personality and the seat of our emotions (see Soul Searching post). Because every emotional response to all that we have        

experienced and been exposed to is housed in the soul, it is essential that we constantly peek into our soul so that we are aware of what's in it and learn to pour out our soul to the Lord so He can heal what ails it.

No one demonstrates the importance of peeking into the soul and pouring out the soul to the Lord more than Hannah in I Samuel. Hannah was barren, unable to bear children. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore - I Sam 1:10.  Hannah peeked into her soul and saw bitterness, rejection, discouragement, despair, anguish, guilt and shame. Hannah didn't just casually peek into her soul, nor did she pretend like she didn't feel all these negative emotions; instead,  Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord...Eli thought she had been drunken. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord - I Sam 1:12a,13b,15.  Hannah saw all that was in her soul and she poured it out before the Lord so that He could heal what ailed her soul. 

We too must constantly peek into our souls so that we become aware of all the negative emotions and reactions to the things that have been said to us, done to us and all the things we have experienced. These negative emotions are preventing our souls from being whole, and does not allow us to be filled with joy, peace and hope. What can we do? Like Hannah we must pour out our soul before the Lord. Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge - Ps 62:8. 

Our souls are like wet rags soaking with emotional baggage that needs to be wrung out before the lover of our soul. We must pour out our bitterness,  anger, fear, resentment, blame, disappointment, frustration, indifference, jealousy and anything else that is in our soul. Pour it out to the Lord because He provides a safe place to do so.  We must be willing to turn our soul inside out, emptying everything before Him.   

When we are willing to pour out our soul before the Lord, He heals what ails it: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul...(Ps 23:1-3a). He refreshes us from all the negative stuff in our soul and restores  life. Pouring out our soul not only ensures it will be restored but also helps to prevent us from unleashing all those negative emotions onto  someone else. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles - Ps 34:6.

learning to pour out my soul daily,
Diane

p.s. practice pouring out your soul daily to the Lord. Work on every time you feel some kind of way, pouring out your soul to the Lord. 

p.p.s. Pouring out your soul is great to do before you have that conversation. Pour out before you lash out!

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