By How much emotion should characterise our prayers? Some saints weep at the slightest thought of God’s grace to them, while other saints can swallow a systematic theology book without as much as a visible tear. Yet, both saints might well be equally affected by the solemn truth of being right with God.
No doubt our prayers are the most personal and emotional of expressions of worship. A short list of emotionally-laden terms in Scripture for praying is not hard to assemble. Indeed, saints of old have always loved to speak to God in all circumstances!
- Pouring out the heart, soul to God (Ps 62:8; 1 Sam 1:15)
- Cry out to God (Ps 27:7; Ps 34:6; Luk 18:38)
- Plead with the Lord (Ex 32:11)
- Falling on your face before the Lord (Num 16:22; Josh 5:14)
- Groaning because of life (Ps 6:4-9; Ps 119:136)
- Groaning because of sin (Ps 32:3-5)
- Shout for joy (Ps 32:11)
- Singing of prayer (Ps 33:1-3, 22)!
- Boldness and confidence (Heb 10:19-22) compared to rashness (Eccl 5:2) or doubting (1 Tim 2:8)
Emotions are a reflection of passions. Therefore, make the things in Scripture the passions of your life, and you will not need to work on being emotional in your prayers in a hypocritical and false way.