Readings for today: Psalms 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 21
I love the Psalms. One of the main reasons is how honest they are about real life. The Psalmist expresses the full range of human emotion. Anger and despair. Grief and sorrow. Frustration and the desire for revenge. He is not afraid to lay his troubles before the Lord. He is honest about his fears and failures. He even wonders at times if God is present or if He even cares. At the same time, he clings to his faith. He calls on God for deliverance. He trusts God’s righteous character. He knows God will hear his prayers even if it doesn’t feel like it at times. He continues to seek the Lord with all his heart. “Lord, you give me stability and prosperity; you make my future secure. I constantly trust in the Lord; because he is at my right hand, I will not be upended.” (Psalms 16:5, 8 NET)
Recently, I was counseling an individual who has experienced significant loss and betrayal in her life. She comes from a country with an oppressive regime where women are systematically mistreated. She had a son who died tragically of cancer when he was seven years old. Immediately after her son died, her husband had an affair and left her for the other woman. Rather than support her, her mother blamed her for the breakup of her marriage. Her new husband cares for her but recently declared bankruptcy, putting them in significant financial straits. She is not yet a believer but is open to the faith. As she and I talked, I asked her what she thought about forgiveness. She immediately rejected the idea but as we talked more, she kept coming back to the concept. She asked me what it would take and why I felt it important. We talked about forgiving the different people in her life and than I suggested she may need to forgive God. This really took her by surprise. I encouraged her to share with God how betrayed she felt when He didn’t answer her prayers to heal her son. I encouraged her to share her anger with God and her deep grief and disappointment. I assured her God could handle her emotions. It was a new thought for her and I took her to the Psalms to give her some examples.
It’s hard for us to be completely honest with God. We often feel like we’re sinning if we express our frustrations or disappointments or even anger with Him. But the Psalmist shows us how to wrestle with God honestly in faith. It’s okay to share anything and everything we’re feeling with God as long as it leads us to a deeper faith and trust in Him. Through the Psalms, God invites us to share our deepest emotions with Him and He proves He is not afraid to hear our heart’s cries. This is what I love about our God and it is what it means to have an authentic relationship with Him.
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 1-2, Psalms 43-44