Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

• Psalm 13:1-6

Why do you hide your face
    and forget our misery and oppression?

• Psalm 44:24

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
    or discipline me in your wrath.
Your arrows have pierced me,
    and your hand has come down on me.
Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
    there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
My guilt has overwhelmed me
    like a burden too heavy to bear.

• Psalm 38:1-4

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
    he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

• Psalm 23:1-6

“There is in the Psalms no quick and easy resignation to suffering. There is always struggle, anxiety, doubt. God’s righteousness which allows the pious to be met by misfortune but the godless to escape free, even God’s good and gracious will, is determined undermined (Psalm 44 24). This behavior is too difficult to grasp. But even in the deepest hopelessness God alone remains the one addressed. Neither is help expected from people, nor does the distressed one in self-pity lose sight of the origin and the goal of all distress, namely God. He sets out to do battle against God for God. The wrathful God is confronted countless times with his promise, his previous blessings, the honor of his name among humanity.”

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, psalms, The Prayer Book of the Bible

Dietrich Bonhoeffer talks about a few themes within the lament psalms.  I have read where there is always a verse or two of praise in every lament, but there may be an exception.  There are some of these psalms that speak of guilt, such as Psalm 38.  And some deal with trusting in God, such as Psalm 23.

Whether we realize the guilt that may be the cause of our suffering or not, we should always praise God, even in times of suffering.  As some people point out, the test of faith means that God thinks we are ready for a stronger test.  And those who want to be more like Christ will understand that stronger, tougher tests are necessary for that to happen.

And a general concept of trusting in God because He is all powerful is, in Bonhoeffer’s estimation, a slippery slope to trusting in self.  I cannot number the times people readily admit that they trust in themselves because of verses like Philippians 4:13.  That verse is probably been misappropriated a majority of the time.  Paul is talking about his persecutions and privations for the Gospel, and on top of that, the prayers of the Philippian church that strengthen him.  Buy even if it meant gaining physical strength, rather than mental and spiritual strength in other contexts, it is not much faith in God giving you the strength.

Thus, the focus of our strength must come from Christ within us.  We must have an attitude that we are nothing, we are powerless, except for Christ within us.  I have seen this difference in my own life.  I have rarely had physical strength, which leads to giving God all the glory if I can physically hold up.  But in the intellectual power, I must focus on Christ within to ensure that the project goes well.  Relying on my own intellect puts me in jeopardy of forgetting or being distracted.  In my writing, I have had momentary writer’s block.  But when I trust in God first, those issues rarely arise.  And when they do arise, they are momentary and not a roadblock.

So, for those that like formulas.  First, always praise God in your suffering.  Maybe even ask God what He wants you to learn from the suffering.  Second, we must search within ourselves.  If there is an unconfessed or unrepented sin, confess it and repent.  And third, rely on Jesus Christ for your strength.

Lord, guide us as we pray.  We should pray for our health.  When we suffer, we need to know that You are still in control.  We need to make things right, if that is necessary.  And we must always praise You.  When we suffer, there is a reason for that suffering.  Like Job, it might simply be a test of faith, but as Job’s so-called friends point out, there could be a problem that hurts our relationship with You.  Help us to respond in praise and trust in You.  As someone who has prayed Psalm 13 a lot, Lord, this type of psalm can express my suffering better than simply whining.  You want me to be stronger, and whining does not help.  In the name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.