Bible Question:

Is it a good idea to talk to God about things that are on your mind or things that you need? When I pray, does crying help?

Bible Answer:

Your first question has been answered in a previous question entitled, “What can I say in my prayers?” Your second question is what we will focus on here.

Crying

Our God does respond to a broken heart. He responds to the tears from a heart that seeks Him. He is loving, compassionate, and gracious. In the book of Psalms, we find many prayers which were offered to God that reveal a broken heart over sin. Here is a portion of one of King David’s prayers.

I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears. My eye has wasted away with grief; it has become old because of all my adversaries. Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication, the LORD receives my prayer. (NASB) Psalm 6:6-9

God heard his crying and responded to him. God responded to his sincere heart and not to outward appearances. God knows who we really are and what we really feel.

If we had forgotten the name of our God, or extended our hands to a strange god; would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. (NASB) Psalm 44:20-21

And God, who knows the heart . . . (NASB) Acts 15:8

Broken Heart

God knew that King David was sincere because He knew David’s heart. We cannot manipulate God with tears, but God does respond to a sincere heart that is broken over grief and sin.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. (NASB) Psalm 51:17

This verse implies that God will not respond to prayers that are not sincere. We are not in control. He cannot be deceived.

Conclusion:

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” – John Bunyan