“Some prayers just happen; they are ‘the Cry of the Heart.’ No training is needed when it comes to this type of prayer.”- John Eldredge
In Chapter 3 (“The Cry of the Heart”) of Moving Mountains, John Eldredge tells of the time he and a buddy were on their way home from a fishing trip when they encountered hail on the highway. Their van spun over those icy marbles, veered into oncoming traffic, and finally came to rest upside down in an irrigation ditch. Shortly before the flip, John prayed the only thing he knew how to pray in that situation: Jesus! John explains:
“”The Cry of the Heart just comes if you let it. . . . I think it will just flow for you, too, if you give it permission. Turn the editor off; let your heart and soul speak.”
Mr. Eldredge adds that the Cry of the Heart is more than cries of heartache, sorrow, or distress. Joyful spontaneity and triumph also are important aspects of this type of prayer. You don’t have to arrange for, practice, or even learn the Cry of the Heart. No religious language is required.
John does offer a word of caution:
“Be careful that your heart cries do not subtly turn into agreements with despair or forsakenness. Do not let ‘Father- I feel abandoned!’ turn into an agreement with ‘I am abandoned.’. . . it is too easy to land in a place of heartache and call it authenticity.”
The way to escape the shipwreck of the soul is to turn your gaze to God.
Today’s question: How have you kept your heart-cries from turning into agreements with despair or forsakenness? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Effective prayer”
