Psalm 116
Psalm 116, Philippians 3:1-11, Romans 5:3-5, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Psalm 30:11-12
Over the last few years, I think that I have gotten really good at understanding lament; I mean, haven’t we all had to? Many of us saw our lives derailed when COVID hit and have watched it get derailed time and time again since then. I have been uprooted from my home, moved across the world, slept on friends floors, spent holidays away from family and friends, and spent far too many hours quarantining in an upstairs office crashing on a futon asking God why in the world things were the way that they were. In 2020 I learned how to lament, and it was good--but lament isn’t all of the Christian life. Psalms like Psalm 116 remind me that on the other side of trial and difficulty and crying out to God, is the joy of serving a God who sees us, knows us and answers us. They remind me that on the other side of lament is rejoicing.
So often, I think that we see our suffering as the worst thing possible, and culture teaches us no less. It teaches that any discomfort, any difficulty, is to be avoided at all costs. But, the Bible teaches us something different--it teaches us to “rejoice in our sufferings” because they produce in us a hope in God that will not put us to shame. Reading the letters of Paul, you would almost think that Paul was a glutton for punishment. He talks about suffering as if it is one of his desires rather than a necessary evil. And, I think there is something to that--not that we should desire suffering for the sake of suffering--but that like Paul we would see our suffering as an integral part of knowing “him and the power of his resurrection” with our eyes fixed on the ultimate answer to our suffering: the redemption of our bodies. This Psalm comes from that same place. The psalmist is rejoicing not because his life has been great always, he is rejoicing because he has been saved from death by God.
Now of course, suffering is by no means easy. By its nature it is incredibly difficult. However, the supreme end of suffering for the Christian is not to wallow in our pain and hurt; it isn’t to wear our dissatisfaction on our face like a badge of honor. It is to rejoice and point to a God who hears us in our suffering now and will ultimately redeem our suffering in the resurrection of our bodies and an eternity with him! Whatever our suffering then, we can point to God and like the Psalmist, praise him because “you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” This Psalm is the fourth of the Egyptian Hallel Psalms sung at every Passover celebrating the story of God’s people being freed from slavery--the author and the people who sang this for centuries get what suffering is like, and know that the God they served has saved them. So, whatever your heartache, like the people of Israel, we can celebrate. We can give “rejoice always” and “give thanks in all circumstances” because “the Lord has dealt bountifully with you,” no matter what our life looks like right now.
Does your suffering and sorrow lead to praising God? Why?
Where do you need to acknowledge God’s goodness and praise him today?
