"Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing."
Psalm 13
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? Psalm 13:1-2I recently read an article which argued that modern Christians do not make enough use of the Biblical tradition of lament. We prefer our worship to be upbeat and perhaps not to reflect what we’re really thinking. Few of the popular modern Christian songs are what we might call laments. After the year we have had perhaps we need to be more honest in our worship and in our private encounters with God.
How many of us have not felt anxious, weary or depressed – weeping from exhaustion or fear, this year? Many are mourning lost loved ones. Others have seen their jobs and dreams disappear. Perhaps we need to express these emotions more honestly.
The Psalmists were never afraid to express their emotions honestly. Perhaps as much as a third of the contents of the Psalms are expressions of anguish depression and disappointment.
In the world of sport we have seen event after event canceled or curtailed. The Olympics are just over two months away – but will they actually happen? Even if they do happen, will they look like the Olympics we know and love? In these difficult times let us be honest with God and express our emotions directly.
Some of the ideas expressed here were taken from Ian Bradley, Credo, The Times 1 may 2021.