It is often taught to pray including these four parts: gratitude, praise, intercession, and confession. It is a helpful way to shape your prayers into an organized format, yet sometimes we just don’t have time for that!

There are moments when all we have is an urgent cry for help.

“Why God Why?”

“I don’t understand! What do I do?”

“If you’re there at all, I need you!”

Take a look at Psalm 40.

It reveals to us a snapshot of David’s confessions of praise, gratitude, and deep need.

Let’s focus on Psalm 40:11-13,

Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me. Your constant love and truth will always guard me. For troubles without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me. Lord, be pleased to rescue me; hurry to help me, Lord. (CSB)

Maybe you haven’t had the courage to truly pray a deep, guttural prayer like David’s before.

Maybe you haven’t felt worthy of the Lord hearing your vulnerability.

Maybe it is time for what is resonating in your heart to be spoken out to your Father.

Take time to step away with Him. Take your Bible and a journal to reread Psalm 40 and write your way to a pray of confession. A prayer of revealed need.

Only you need see your prayer, and only God need hear it.

“Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out.”

// Max Lucado in Celebrating Christmas with Jesus: An Advent Devotional