The refrain of a hymn from my childhood haunts me still. The chorus entreated me to go forth “with a smile on my lips and a song in my heart.” For a long time I lived under the pressure of a false belief, a lie that defined a faithful walk with the Lord as sustained sugary spirituality. Nobody had to ask me if I had faith. If they couldn’t hear the holy humming of my heartstrings, they could see it in my naively blissful countenance.
Was my consistently delightful demeanor impressive? Most of the time, surely so. Was it personally dishonest and oppressive? Sometimes, definitely so. Though we might aspire to be enthusiastic, optimistic and joyful, there are times that only the clueless among us can plaster on an authentic smile and sing a rousing tune in their heart.
Lynn Anderson recalls a conversation of one woman struggling with doubts and darkness. She confesses, “I can hardly stand to go to church. Not that I don’t want to worship God or be around His people. It’s just that everything sounds so positive. They sing bright songs, preach upbeat messages, and smile so much—and seem to ignore the pain that must be sitting in those pews. It makes me feel so outside of everything there, so disconnected.” Lynn adds his observation, “Sometimes the mood seems to be, ‘Don’t talk about negative stuff at church. That won’t attract folks. Let’s bring ‘em in. Pump ‘em up. And send ‘em out grinning’.”
Sacred sorrow is as much a part of worshiping God as singing songs of loudest praise. Michael Card observed, “Biblical lament never loses sight of God. It’s always a prayer to God. The character of lament for us is different. We don’t mourn as those who have no hope.” He continues, “There’s an evangelistic piece of this that connects. Jesus wept with people and entered into their suffering and confusion—that’s a piece that’s missing from our world…they’re hungry to see this side of us.”
Some have said that over half of the Psalms are laced with lament. Psalm 13 is the shortest of the lament psalms, divided into three parts: a statement of complaint (verses 1 and 2); a cry for help (verses 3 and 4); and a statement of trust in and praise for God (verses 5 and 6). In my Bible, I’ve written David on his face (verses 1, 2); David on his knees (verses 3,4); David on his feet (verses 5, 6). Several of the psalms give us a model for writing our own psalms of lament (for example: Psalms 3, 10, 22, 44, 88, 102).
Beloved, let us learn to lament. Let us help each other lean into lament, living authentic lives before each other and the Lord. We can’t lie to the Lord and get away with it. Why would we want to? We know how He loves us! Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you. Come to Him, all who are weary and burdened. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God knows the truth of our hearts and longs to meet us there.
Dennis Lynn
Redwood Church
