Have you ever received a present and wondered what was inside? We have the greatest present of a lifetime. The Bible. It is an instruction book for our hearts.

Do you open it daily to read to find out the truths in his Word? Or do you plod through your day on your own steam?

Some may believe they are unworthy to open the gift. They are too filled with pain, discouragement, or hurt. So they bury things deep inside and tread through life as best they can.

Buried emotional pain takes up the capacity in our hearts and minds that belongs to the Lord. It pushes out the truths that will set us free. The heart-pain is a “felt” need that was not met. It unconsciously keeps looking for fulfillment.

What is inside your heart that was never fulfilled? How do you find satisfaction for the deep longings of your heart? How do you feed your emotional hunger? These are questions I encourage you to ask yourself when your heart is hurt by rejection, or you feel overwhelmed by your circumstances.

When our emotional needs are not met, it doesn’t matter if it is in the past or the present. It is a “felt” need in our heart. When we bury it, the need remains, and decaying thoughts continually emerge from it. They often spiral down into negativity as they look for answers.

We need to look up to the Lord. He is the healer of broken hearts. He is ready to take our unmet needs and meet them through a loving relationship with himself.

Father, I thank you for your word of unchangeable truths. It is a scalpel that pierces through our heart’s negative spiral. You are the only one who can fulfill our needs. Help each of us lean hard upon your grace in our times of emotional pain, so we don’t stuff them deep inside to fester. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Go Deeper — Make a pledge to start your day reading God’s Word every day for the next 30 days. One way would be to read several of the verses before and after each of our daily devotional selections. At the end of the month, see if your “felt” needs have altered.



Tags: Daily Devotional Psalm 107
Photo Credit: Daiga Elby