I have known and absolutely loved Trillia Newbell for at least 10 years now and one thing that I know is that she and I share a heart to see men and women know and love their Savior. Trillia is truly one of my most favorite people; you can trust how Trillia handles God Word. I’m so thankful she graced us with this challenge of 52 Weeks in the Word. Her book helps you get in the Word so you can know the Waymaker. Be blessed by this brief reflection from her book and from her heart that faithfully follows after Him.
The Psalms are rich with lament and rejoicing, sorrow and joy, singing and crying. It’s here that we get a sense that there’s permission to feel however we feel and bring it to the Lord. Isn’t that good news? We don’t have to pretend when we approach God. We can bring all of it, all of who we are to Him.
“We don’t have to pretend when we approach God.”
It is in His Word that we learn how to lament and run to the Lord.
I don’t like to lament. I want to be happy and escape from any feelings of longing.
I don’t like the idea of sitting with my feelings. No, thank you!
However, through a series of devastating circumstances, I’ve learned that lamentation is not only appropriate, it’s healthy.
As I’ve suffered and grown in my understanding of lament, much of what I’ve learned has stemmed from reading the Psalms, while also learning about the life of Jesus through the Gospels.
Psalm 42 (along with Psalm 43) is an example of the type of honest, vulnerable, and lamenting language God invites us to share with Him.
In the case of this psalm, it would appear that the psalmist wrote it to be sung congregationally (see the heading before verse 1). He longed for the presence of the Lord and acknowledged his deep sorrow as he waited (vv. 1–3).
Or take for example his honesty about his questions and fears:
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”(v 3)
Oh that we’d be so vulnerable before our loving Father. He knows our tears. He sees our tears.
In the past, in a season of spiritual depression and sadness, I might have said to my soul, “Suck it up.” But not the psalmist. He doesn’t rely on his own strength and might. Instead, he turns to God:
“Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (vv. 5b–6).
The next time you sense sorrow, exhale: It isn’t a sign of weakness; even Jesus was sorrowful (Isa. 53:3; Matt. 26:38). Rather, it is a sign of our humanity and our need for our Rock and Salvation.
The Psalms remind us that we can take every pain, confusion, and sadness straight to the Lord—they remind us where our help comes from.
What matters even more than learning how to lament — is knowing where to run.
And the very first Psalm helps us gain an understanding where we can find true Hope and experience joy and happiness in the Lord.
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the lawof the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1-2)
Psalm 1 leads us toward true happiness (blessed), toward a life lived delighting in the law of the Lord and meditating on it day and night.
You want a blessed life? Read your Bible. Ask the Lord to help you meditate on His Word.
“When we read God’s Word, the goal isn’t to check off a list; it’s to delight in the Lord.”
This is the year: we could delight in the law of the Lord and ultimately be led to a knowledge of and love for our Savior.
This is the year we can learn that Jesus was a man of sorrows.
This is the year where we can see the faithfulness of God to rebellious people. This year, we can taste and see that the Lord is good.
When we read God’s Word, the goal isn’t to check off a list; it’s to delight in the Lord.
One of God’s sweetest gifts, besides Himself, is His Word.
Scripture is God-breathed. Both the Old and New Testaments are His words that reveal Him to us (2 Peter 1:21). The Scriptures are useful, binding, relevant, and true (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
The law is perfect and revives the soul (Ps. 19:7). The Lord uses His Word to bring people to Himself (Rom. 10:17). God has been gracious to give you and me access to know many things about Him: His creation, His desires for us, and, most important, His Son.
Are we reading and treasuring this precious gift?
What a treasure we have in His Word that we might know the One we will enjoy for eternity.
Have you ever been disappointed or frustrated with your inability for consistent Bible study? Reading through the Bible in a year can feel daunting. It can be hard to know how—or where—to start. Perhaps you just need a friend who follows Jesus to help?
Trillia Newbell is a trusted Bible teacher and lover of the Scriptures. She describes herself as a “forever student” and she’d like nothing more than for you to join her in the grand and thrilling adventure of growing in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ!
She is the author of several books including the latest, 52 Weeks in the Word: A Companion for Reading Through the Bible in a Year.
If you are ready to read through the Bible this year, join us for the 52 Weeks in the Word Challenge!
Sign up and receive monthly encouragement emails from Trillia herself with a downloadable Bible Reading Calendar for the month, her best bible reading/study tips, podcast links, and more fun surprises!
[ Our humble thanks to Moody Publishers for their partnership in today’s devotion ]
