Did you know that there is a Biblical book called Lamentations?
To lament means 鈥渢o grieve or passionately express sorrow.鈥� At first, a book dedicated to the sadness that God鈥檚 people are experiencing may seem odd, but it makes perfect sense. How could God address who we are and what we go through if he did not deal with our struggles?
Acknowledging sadness and imperfection seems strange to us simply because we do it so infrequently. We live in a time where people say things like 鈥淟ive your best life鈥� and then post a bunch of pictures online to show how much fun they are having, even when they are not actually having any fun at all.聽
The temptation to present a fake impression of myself is very real. It is also very isolating, because no one can relate to someone who seems to have no problems, doubts or fears.
Sadly, this fake version of ourselves often follows us to church, too. We dress up and smile at one another. We shake hands and say 鈥淗ow are you?鈥� and everyone responds 鈥淚 am fine,鈥� even when they are not.聽
Preachers sometimes end up being the most fake people in the group, because they feel that they must not share their own worries or concerns. In the end, everyone ends up pretending to be happy, when, in fact, everyone has trouble.
In the face of all of that, David takes a very different approach. He writes, 鈥淚 waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him鈥� (Psalm 40:1-3).
By acknowledging both his struggles and as well as his hope, David comes off as a real person.聽 He reminds us that down times do not last forever and that God never abandons us. Best of all, his honestly allows us to see our own lives in a different, and better, way.
Things are not always perfect in my life, but then again, I am not without hope.
Real faith begins when the pretending ends.
