13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
All emotions are acceptable when expressed at the proper time. When we are depressed, it is OK to express that depression. We don’t have to hide behind a smile. We are allowed to have these feelings and to express them. Notice that they get expressed to the Lord, perhaps in the company of other believers. Prayer is about conversation with God. We can take our troubles to the Lord. We can share our burdens with other believers, allowing them to join in sharing the heavy weight. The other end of the emotional spectrum is when we are happy. It is also OK to express those emotions. And again, those high emotions get expressed in the context of God’s relationship to us. All our emotions are in God’s presence. All can be safely expressed when He is around. He knows our sorrows and our joys, having been acquainted with them. These emotions will not cause Him to back away from us. They will not overwhelm Him. We need to give ourselves permission to express them. They are real. So go ahead, express what you are feeling to the Lord. Get it off your chest. Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there, as the old songs says.
The Arnold Journey 