No matter where you are in life you can find yourself somewhere in the Psalms. Whether it is despair or praise, waiting or celebration–the Psalmist knows what you feel. This gift of finding someone else expressing our own internal turmoil or joy helps us express more clearly the chaos and longings colliding within us. Any child needs help finding their feet at times, so we spiritually need help finding our footing and words in prayer.

Yet it gets even better. The Psalms are not merely a tutor in expressing our many and varied feelings towards God–as helpful as that is–but the Psalms also transform us. Even as we unleash the dump truck of our inner lives on God along with the Psalmist, we find that the Psalmist doesn’t leave us there. Something happens in the outpouring and reflection that suddenly opens room within us for remembering that our feelings are not always an accurate picture of the world. There is more lost beneath the piles of frustration and disappointment. We start seeing God’s faithfulness and mercy again. There beneath the busyness and betrayal is his steadfast love and trustworthiness. Our perspective isn’t as all-knowing (nor God as uncaring) as we once thought.

There it is again–fresh strength to walk into what God is calling us to. Fresh strength to trust him. Fresh strength to step out in greater obedience. Fresh strength to love the difficult people in our lives. Thankfully, there are 150 of them because we will certainly need another one again tomorrow.

Join us for a “Summer in the Psalms” as we all learn to find out footing and have our relationship with God transformed.

 

Caleb Barrows
Neighborhood Church, Adrian, MI