What can miserable Christians sing?
This was a title of a blog post by an American Pastor several years ago, one that resonated with many, people who were struggling in different ways – brokenness, bereavement and depression – and wanted songs that would help them to continue to engage with God in those times, to engage with our loving Father, to Christians who are in dark valleys.
Our culture is one that is quite uncomfortable with brokenness and suffering. It is often seen as something ugly, something to be pushed to the sides, a bit shameful, Sadly church can sometimes be the same, which means that those who are struggling are forced to either pretend or else to stay away from church until they are able to smile that little bit more
That’s why the Psalms are such a rich blessing to the church. They show us what a legitimate experience for a believer can be. They show us that brokenness isn’t a sign of spiritual failure, that sadness isn’t a denial of the gospel, that tears aren’t incompatible with the hope of resurrection we have in Christ.
In fact to lament, as the Psalms often are, a crying out to God. To lament can be an affirmation of the Gospel, an affirmation of our hope of a future we look forward to, an affirmation that we follow a crucified and then risen Saviour.
Jesus doesn’t say ‘Come to me you who are happy, come to me you who have everything sorted out, come to me you who have all your questions answered.’ Jesus says ‘Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.’
My prayer is that these psalms will help us engage with God in times of trial, and come to Jesus Christ who gives rest to weary souls.
– Matt Searles, introducing his album ‘Tumbling Sky – Psalms for Weary Souls’