The Heartache of Belief
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. – Psalm 42:5, NIV
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. – Psalm 42:5, MSG
“It is an important dialogue between the two aspects of the believer, who is at once a man of convictions and a creature of change. He is called to live in eternity, his mind stayed on God; but also in time, where mind and body are under pressures that cannot and should not leave him impassive. The psalmist’s refrain teaches us to take seriously both aspects of our existence. There is no hint that his distress was avoidable on the one hand, for it arose out of his love; or unendurable on the other, for it did not shake his faith.” – Derek Kidner
“My God will clear the furrows from my brow, and the tear-marks from my cheek. Therefore I will lift up my head and smile in the face of the storm.” – Charles H. Spurgeon
“Troubles do not vanish with a prayer, even for one so passionate about being in God’s presence. The one who perseveres through pain, abandonment, ridicule, and disappointment- remembering to hope even when the reasons seem few- will not be disappointed by God.” – Stephen J. Lennox
As one surveys the Psalms, it becomes apparent that the people of God have often experienced deep sadness. Psalms 42-43 are filled with this sadness. Surprisingly, as we look deeper, we find not that the sadness flows from a sin issue that has caused heartache. No, the core of the lament is instead found in the gap between what the author has experienced in worship, known in relationship, and knows to be true about God. In fact, one might say that the author would have known less sadness, less disturbance of soul if he knew God less, was more distant from Him and had never experienced the joy of leading corporate worship at the Temple. And while our pain as believers can often stem from our own mistakes and sins, we need to remember this lament’s source. Some of our deepest heartache comes as a direct result of belief. We do love God deeply. We do know Him. We do know what He can and will do. Yet we live in the tension of faith. We do not experience all that has been promised in this moment. We hope for it. And it is the distance between what we know to be true and do not presently know in experience that creates soul deep ache. If we aren’t careful, our counsel to others and our ‘self-preaching’ will error on the side of quick fixes and believe more pep talks. How often instead, are we called to be in the tension, to live in the space of lament. Sadness is often misunderstood as weakness. It may well be that the deepest sadnesses in our lives come from the tension of the already not yet reality of living by faith and not by sight. Please, when you find this tension entering your world don’t seek quick fixes. Instead, follow the psalmist’s example, live in the tension waiting for God. He will not disappoint.
Questions for application/discussion:
· What helps you ‘preach to yourself’ in moments of sadness? How can that help you as you journey with others in sadness?
· Reflecting on your journey, what season(s) of sadness have you navigated well? Poorly? What were key differences in those moments?
· In our pain we often push away from relationships. How will you grow in your relationship with God in your sadness? How will you stay close with other believers?
Blog Bonus: The deer pictured above came by my office window as I was studying, “As the deer…” pretty fun moment!