The benefit of pouring out one's heart to God

What is the benefit of pouring out one's heart to God?
Have you ever thought about it? I am thinking of that tonight.

By "pouring out one's heart " I mean not just pouring, but emptying. I mean letting everything out until there is nothing left at all. Not even a drop. You give everything to God. Every thought. Every feeling. Everything.

Why should we do that? I mean, He already knows everything about us. I don't think it has as much to do with the fact that He needs to, or has to, hear it all. I think pouring our hearts out cleanses us. It helps us make room in our hearts so that His Holy Spirit can come in and do whatever He wants. That is what I think anyway.

Once the heart is emptied out, what do we do? Well, I think the best thing to do is just to wait. Wait with an empty heart. Ask Him to come into your heart and fill it with whatever He wants in there.

I think pouring out one's heart is something that helps us have a deeper conversion and helps Jesus transform us and mold us. I also don't think it is something that should be done only once and then you assume the job is all done. I think it is like spring cleaning, but should be done more often.

Life has a way of filling our hearts back up with things that are not always of God. Sometimes they are just trivial things, but they still take up room.

Pouring out one's heart also helps us to see our place before God. It humbles us. It can be uncomfortable because some things "stick" like dried mashed potatoes to a plate! So the Holy Spirit has to use a brillo pad to scrub it off of us. So yes, I think it can be painful.

But the benefits we get last longer each time we undergo this experience. Because after the first couple of times, we know what to expect. A little "ouch", a little emptiness, some tears, etc, but then there is that wonderful sense when God's peace rolls on in...the "living water" that is Jesus begins to flow through. Then, the grace, ever so gently comes in and rests there.

I think the last two weeks of Lent are a perfect time to pour out one's heart to God so that we can be as ready as we can for Holy Week, which is coming up quickly.

So, that is all I wanted to say today. I have much more inside to say, but it is very personal and only for Jesus' ears. In the mean time...God bless your night.