Unfiltered Prayers in a Broken World
This past Wednesday was heavy.
That morning, Megan and I recorded a Going Somewhere Podcast episode called Unfiltered Prayers, exploring what it looks like to bring the raw emotions of our hearts before God. We talked about how if it’s in our hearts, it belongs in our prayers and how God isn’t intimidated by our real and raw emotions. Later that day, the tragic news broke of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Like many of you, emotions started swirling. I felt anger, fear, confusion, and sadness. A young man with a young family was taken from this world in a tragic and evil way. I made attempts to make sense of what was happening. To attempt to fill the gaps, I turned my attention to Twitter and other news outlets — only to stumble across graphic videos of the tragedy, conspiracy theories, and half-baked stories of what was happening.
As I sat in those emotions, I noticed my anger rising — not just at the situation itself, but at the way people on all “sides” responded. I felt an urge to find answers or have the right words to say which led to insecurity and confusion. If I’m being honest, I wanted to just turn it all off and ignore it all because I didn’t like what I was feeling.
But emotions are not meant to be stuffed down or ignored. They’re signals. They’re invitations. We so often fall into the trap of letting our emotions lead, causing us to do sinful and shameful things because of what we are feeling. Emotions make terrible leaders, but they are still worth listening to.
So that evening, I grabbed my journal, turned on worship music, and sat with the Lord. I wrote out my anger, my fear, my sadness. I prayed them, unfiltered. And you know what? Not all of those prayers ended with a neat bow or a crescendo of hope. Some ended in lament. Still sad. Still angry. Still fearful.
But even there — in the rawness — God met me.
The result wasn’t answers. The result was intimacy. A deepening of faith — not necessarily in humanity or a political ideology, but in God Himself. We live in a broken world, but we know the end of the story: Jesus returns, evil ceases, and those who trust in Him will live and reign forever.
David in the Cave
This kind of prayer isn’t new.
Think of David. Anointed as the future king, yet hunted down by Saul like an animal. Instead of living in a palace, David found himself hiding in caves. Lonely. Afraid. Betrayed. Things were not what he expected. His current reality was so far from what he pictured when Samuel anointed him as king or when the nation celebrated his victory of Goliath.
Psalm 142 gives us a glimpse into his cave prayers:
“I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my trouble.” (Psalm 142:1–2)
David didn’t sugarcoat his reality. He didn’t pray polite, polished prayers. He cried out. He poured out his complaint. He laid bare his fear and loneliness before God. He honestly expressed how he felt — that no one cared for his life. That he was alone.
And though the cave didn’t disappear, something happened in David’s heart: God met him there.
Jesus in the Garden
Even Jesus modeled this.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, knowing the cross awaited him, Jesus prayed so intensely that his sweat became like drops of blood. He cried out for another way, yet surrendered to the Father’s will.
That prayer was raw. Real. Honest. Painful.
And it shows us that God is not afraid of our unfiltered prayers.
God Invites the Raw and Real
David’s cave. Jesus’ garden. My journal this past week.
Different settings, same truth: God isn’t intimidated by the emotions in our prayers. Anger, fear, grief, confusion — if it’s in your heart, it belongs in your prayers.
Author Chip Dodd, in Voice of the Heart, identifies 8 core emotions that often show up in our lives. These emotions are signals — clues that help us pay attention to what’s going on beneath the surface. When we bring them to God, they can actually deepen intimacy with Him.
Here’s a simple way to notice, reflect, and pray through each:
Anger
Signal: Something I value is being threatened.
Reflection: What does my anger reveal about what matters most to me?
Prayer: “God, help me use my anger to fight for what matters to You.”Fear
Signal: I need help, and I can’t do this on my own.
Reflection: Where am I resisting dependence on God or others?
Prayer: “God, I trust You with my fears—be my refuge and strength.”Hurt
Signal: Something precious has been lost.
Reflection: Where am I grieving what was taken from me?
Prayer: “God, meet me in my pain and remind me You are near to the brokenhearted.”Sadness
Signal: I long for connection and restoration.
Reflection: Where am I tempted to numb my sadness instead of expressing it?
Prayer: “God, I give You my sorrow. Thank You that You collect my tears.”Loneliness
Signal: I am made for relationship.
Reflection: Who am I isolating from or longing to be close to?
Prayer: “God, thank You for being with me. Lead me to deeper connection with You and others.”Guilt
Signal: I have violated what I know to be right.
Reflection: Where do I need to take responsibility?
Prayer: “God, forgive me and give me courage to walk in the freedom of grace.”Shame
Signal: I fear being rejected if I am truly known.
Reflection: Where am I hiding parts of myself from God or others?
Prayer: “God, cover me with Your love and remind me that my worth is found in You.”Gladness
Signal: Life with God and others is good.
Reflection: Where am I experiencing joy that I can celebrate today?
Prayer: “God, thank You for this gift of gladness. Help me share it freely.”
These emotions don’t have to be suppressed or denied. They are invitations — pathways that can lead us closer to the heart of God if we will bring them honestly to Him.
The circumstances may not change overnight. But your heart will. And intimacy with God will grow.
A Practice for This Week
This week — of all weeks — allow God to search your heart and turn your emotions into prayers.
Take time to invite God to search your heart (Psalm 139:23–24).
Journal honestly about what you discover.
Turn those words into prayer — raw and real.
God meets us in the caves. In the gardens. In the heaviness of this broken world. And He invites us closer.
🎙️ Listen to this week’s podcast: Unfiltered Prayers
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