Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. (Ps. 62:8)
Think about the last time you received an invitation. Maybe it was an invitation to dinner at a friend’s house, a birthday party, or a wedding. Whatever the event, it is nice to receive an invitation because it means you are wanted. You have been included. Your presence matters to the one who sent you the invitation.
In the Bible, God repeatedly finds ways to invite his people to himself. When the invitation comes from him, we can draw similar conclusions. He wants us to come to him. He longs to include us in his plans. Our presence with him matters to him.
In today’s Scripture reading, you receive a particular kind of invitation. It’s an invitation to pour out your heart. This is a different kind of invitation from ones we’re used to. What does this invitation tell us?
First, the invitation implies that your heart is full. If you’re anything like me, your heart is filled with a mix of emotions, fears, doubts, and longings. It’s not all pretty. It doesn’t all make sense. It’s messy. It’s tangled.
Second, God knows that your heart is tangled and messy, and he still extends an invitation. This tells us a lot about him. He’s not saying to you, “Get your heart together, and then pour it out to me.” He doesn’t place that kind of condition on his invitation. Instead, you can come to him as you are. You don’t have to come from where you wish you were or as you think you should be. Come as you are right now.
Third, the psalmist also says to trust God at all times. He is always trustworthy. He can be trusted with what is in your heart.
Let’s put this all together as we begin this devotional. You have a God who wants to hear from you. He already knows what is in your heart—the emotions and hurt from your past that you still carry. He cares about what is there and wants to be near you as you face it. You can trust him with your heart. You can trust him with your messiness. In fact, he is so utterly trustworthy that the psalmist calls him a refuge, which is a safe place. He is a safe place for you. Think of the process of reading, reflecting on, and praying through this book as a process of pouring out your heart before God. Each day, God will invite you to bring yourself to him. As you respond to this invitation, trust that you are in the safe refuge of the God who loves you.
—Lauren Whitman, A Painful Past: Healing and Moving Forward
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