Feelings Aren't Theologically Correct

I have felt inspired to share what I've been learning in my summer Bible study on Psalms, because it's just THAT good every week.  There are only a few more sessions and I just don't want it to end!  Some of the things that I already loved about the Psalms have become even more clear to me, and this was the case discussing Psalm 88 yesterday.

Psalm 88 is the only Psalm that doesn't end on a happy note.  If you read my previous post about Psalms (HERE), then you'll remember that most of the time, God changes the heart of the writer in the midst of the Psalm, even if the circumstance hasn't changed.  But Psalm 88 ends on a very low note:  "You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend."

How did I still leave a Bible study on THAT Psalm with encouragement?

The fact that this Psalm made it in the Bible means that it has something to speak into our lives.  God doesn't always answer why, but we CAN ask why and seek Him in the midst of great despair.  The Psalmist does not give up, and three times he says that he continues to cry out to God night and day, despite the fact that he hasn't found peace or doesn't see an answer.

Life is really messy.  We don't always get a Hollywood ending, or even just a sense of closure.  This Psalm stands for encouragement to those who might be in the midst of a true and real despair, who pray and pray but still come away feeling dejected.  In some small way, knowing that someone else shared in that suffering can be an encouragement.

One thing that really struck me from this was the way the Psalms aren't necessarily all about theological correctness.  Sometimes, I think when we go to pray or approach God, we think we need to clean up first.  We need to use the "right" words and have the "right" attitude.  We need to be scrubbed and washed up and presentable.  This writer doesn't come with a Sunday school answer, putting a mask on his feelings.  He blames God.  He's angry.  He's hurt and doesn't understand and questions and despairs. He sees no hope in life, no blessings from God.  This Psalm doesn't have a "but" where the Psalm turns from me, me, me to You, You, You like many of the others.  He comes as he is, warts and all.

Often I think Christians make a mistake when we are representing the gospel.  We make it seem like people need to clean up to come to Jesus.  Stop drinking and sleeping around and then come to church.  We're like those Pharisees who, when a sinful woman came weeping at Jesus' feet, whispered, "Don't you know what she has done??"  Jesus said that he came to call sinners.  He calls us from where we are, as we are.  None of us is perfect--HE is perfect FOR us.  There isn't a need to pretend like we're squeaky clean.  We wouldn't need a savior from our sins if we didn't HAVE any sins.

No, Jesus took sinners and called them from where they were, even in the midst of their sin.  The woman caught in the act of adultery and brought to Jesus was forgiven there on the spot.  And THEN Jesus told her to go and leave her life of sin.  First, we come to Jesus as we are.  Then HE cleans us up and changes us so that our life starts to reflect the changes in our hearts.

I think this Psalm demonstrates this.  The writer doesn't try and cheer himself up or falsify his hurt to make it look better.  He puts the blame on God even, whether it really was God pouring out wrath and taking his friends away, or if that was just his perception in the midst of his despair.  God calls us to come to him and does not expect anything less than an imperfect person.  We don't need to think our prayers have to use big words or even be theologically correct.   This guy was honest and persistent in coming to God, and his prayer made it all the way down the line to us.

Are you waiting to clean up before you come to Jesus?  Are you holding off on praying because you think you don't know how to do it?  Don't.  Bring your hurt, your honesty, your questions to Him.  People can't always handle our honesty or the depth of our emotion, but God can.  He already knows.  And he has called us to come.

Expect to walk away from God changed, but don't think you have to change first before you answer His call.