David Bahn – Reflections

O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
    nor discipline me in your wrath.
² Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;
    heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.
³ My soul also is greatly troubled.
    But you, O LORD—how long?

⁴ Turn, O LORD, deliver my life;
    save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
⁵ For in death there is no remembrance of you;
    in Sheol who will give you praise?

⁶ I am weary with my moaning;
    every night I flood my bed with tears;
    I drench my couch with my weeping.
⁷ My eye wastes away because of grief;
    it grows weak because of all my foes.

⁸ Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
    for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
⁹ The LORD has heard my plea;
    the LORD accepts my prayer.
¹⁰ All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
    they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

The second part of a psalm of lament is the complaint, or lament. It’s an expression of sorrow, frustration, distress, or pain. And while it is true, “Complaining is not a strategy,” God is willing to hear our complaints. But let’s be clear about two things.

1. Complaining is not a strategy. And,
2. Complaining alone is not a lament in the biblical sense of the word.

A lament in the biblical sense includes not only the complaints, but the address to God, the request for help, an expression of trust, and a vow or anticipation of praise. It’s the full story of a life of faith in a fallen world.

I love teaching the Stockdale Paradox, a concept from Jim Collins’ book Good to Great, based on the experiences of Admiral James Stockdale, a U.S. Navy officer and former prisoner of war in Vietnam. Stockdale observed that prisoners who were overly optimistic—expecting to be freed by a certain date—often lost hope when those expectations weren’t met. The paradox is summarized this way, “Face the brutal facts while holding on to hope.”

Some people falsely believe that if you’re a true Christian you’ll never have any troubles. Jesus said the exact opposite: “In the world you will have troubles” (John 16:33). But we don’t have to stop there for God invites us to express our deepest needs to him. We don’t have to pretend all is well and that we’re shiny happy people holding hands. 

There is, however, a danger to avoid as we share our complaints before God. Lament isn’t just complaint. It’s far different from grumbling. Lament is a faithful cry to God. But grumbling is a faithless complaint against God. Or put it this way:

• Lament says, “Lord, I don’t understand, but I turn to You.”
• Grumbling says, “God, You’re not doing enough. I deserve better.”

You may be struggling desperately with troubles, distress, fear, and pain. Bring those to God. He will hear you. God says, “Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you and you will glorify me” (Psalm 50:15).

From the St. John Psalm Conversation Starters with God

We can pray… Oh my Savior and Lord, how long? These troubles ________________ have been going on and on and we need You to act. We call on the name of our God – the Lord of Heaven and Earth – to ease our pain. Ease this pain we feel in our hearts for the world. Our bodies ache and we literally feel the effect of sin upon the world. May we wait on You with hope. May our hope grow our character and trust in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.