Suffering- Part 3

As I think about suffering, the Psalms come to mind more often than not.  I always encourage people who are hurting or going through a rough time to read the Psalms.  Over half the Psalms are what is called a lament...people crying out to God in the midst of a hurtful or hard time.  The language in the Psalms are sometimes gut wrenching honest.  Psalm 77 is an example of this.  Listen to the language of the first part of the Psalm.  

Psalm 77

I cried out to God for help;
    I cried out to God to hear me.
² When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
    at night I stretched out untiring hands, 
    and I would not be comforted.

³ I remembered you, God, and I groaned; 
    I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.^[b] 
4 You kept my eyes from closing;
    I was too troubled to speak. 
⁵ I thought about the former days, 
    the years of long ago;
⁶ I remembered my songs in the night.
    My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

⁷ “Will the Lord reject forever? 
    Will he never show his favor again?
⁸ Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
    Has his promise failed for all time?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be merciful? 
    Has he in anger withheld his compassion? ”

What honest language.  I love the fact that the writers of these great hymns/poems didn't try and sugar coat things...because life shouldn't allow for sugar coating sometimes.  Sometimes you just need to ask why?  Where are you?  Are you really letting this happen to me?  But in most laments, there is almost always a shift in the writers thoughts.  I love this one in particular.  

¹⁰ Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
    the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. 
¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
¹² I will consider all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

¹³ Your ways, God, are holy.
    What god is as great as our God? 
¹⁴ You are the God who performs miracles; 
    you display your power among the peoples.
¹⁵ With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, 
    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

¹⁶ The waters saw you, God,
    the waters saw you and writhed; 
    the very depths were convulsed.
¹⁷ The clouds poured down water, 
    the heavens resounded with thunder; 
    your arrows flashed back and forth.
¹⁸ Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, 
    your lightning lit up the world;
    the earth trembled and quaked. 
¹⁹ Your path led through the sea, 
    your way through the mighty waters,
    though your footprints were not seen.

What does he do?  He remembers how good God is.  His faith and belief in God is not determined by God acting or doing the miracle in this situation, but He is God because he parted seas, delivered from slavery, He fed the children of Israel in the wilderness, etc.  The writer remembers that the story he is currently in the midst of isn't the entire story.  His story is wrapped up in a bigger story of a God who is faithful and a God who is present.  

I am not saying that ones response should be that of "Ok, I guess I will just accept this and get on with it" but rather remember and realize that people have been asking questions about God...who He is and where He is... for a long time.  And in the midst of whatever it is they are going through, they remember that He has always been present in the midst of suffering.  He probably didn't answer the prayers the way that they thought He would answer either.  I mean who would have thought that God would rain down bread from heaven?  Who would have thought God would have parted a sea?  Who would have thought that the way to defeat a city was to walk around it and yell?  Who would think that you beat giants with little rocks?  Who would think that God would use a left handed man?  Who would think that God would use a little shepherd boy to be king over a nation?  And who would think that God would use a cross to bring redemption back to creation?  

So, what do we do?  We always, always, always ask the questions.  The psalms prove that God is big enough to handle it!  Then, after the honest questions, we remember.  We remember that God has always been faithful to his people.  We remember that in the midst of whatever struggle they faced, He was right there with them.  We remember that because of who He was and who He is, that we serve a God who chooses to enter into our world and journey with us.  We remember that even when we can't feel Him, we can't stop Him from being everywhere.  

So, no matter what you are going through, cry out to God.  Allow yourself space to not move on, but to sit and embrace your situation.  After you have allowed yourself this space and time,  then allow yourself to live in the story of God...the story of a God who is redeeming creation back to himself.  Don't rush the crying out space...and when you have had the time you need, then you will be ready to see God in new ways in the midst of your struggle.  

Just some thoughts!