A friend had posted a link to this article, and it got me thinking:

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(there are some great comments, too)

I think that Americans in particular have been influenced by the "God wants us to be happy" thinking - and even if we don't specifically buy into the whole "name it, claim it" prosperity movement, we're still somewhat affected by its teachings. It definitely made me ponder the music at our church and what I listen to throughout the week. I enjoy hymns as well as the newer, peppier stuff, and I cracked up at one commenter's description of "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs.

Joy is a fruit of the spirit - but that doesn't mean that we are smiley all the time. What it does mean is that we have inner peace and confidence, knowing that God is in control in all circumstances. We can and should be honest about our doubts and times of questioning. The trick is not to get mired down in it.

Quite a fine line to walk...

Thanks for the great link!

I just happened to read a lament in my devotions today, found in Psalm 44 (see below).

You are absolutely right when you said,

Quote:

Joy is a fruit of the spirit - but that doesn't mean that we are smiley all the time. What it does mean is that we have inner peace and confidence, knowing that God is in control in all circumstances. We can and should be honest about our doubts and times of questioning. The trick is not to get mired down in it.

When I read laments, like Psalm 44, what I see is the darkness that is part of our faith, as we are called to suffering, but what I see more is the confidence in God. In times of seeming hopelessness, the only ONE who we can truly cry our laments to is our Heavenly Father and in laments like Psalm 44, I hear a cry to God for His rescue because there is HOPE there.

I think there's a difference between a lament to God and a complaint to God. In a lament, there is true despair, as if God took His hand away from someone, for a time, but the person's hope and confidence is still in God. In a complaint, there may be true struggle and hardship, but in reality, a person is saying, "I deserve better than this," and then his heart is hardened against the Lord. That's when we get mired down by our situation, when we lose hope in the Lord, and try to get through the struggle and hardship on our own strength, because we've "lost" our trust in God.

We need have confidence in our God and His perfect plan for us, whether bitter or sweet, and in those bitter moments say, "Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love."

Psalm 44
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.
1 We have heard with our ears, O God;
our fathers have told us
what you did in their days,
in days long ago.
2 With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our fathers;
you crushed the peoples
and made our fathers flourish.

3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them.

4 You are my King and my God,
who decrees victories for Jacob.

5 Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.

6 I do not trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;

7 but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.

8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.
Selah

9 But now you have rejected and humbled us;
you no longer go out with our armies.

10 You made us retreat before the enemy,
and our adversaries have plundered us.

11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep
and have scattered us among the nations.

12 You sold your people for a pittance,
gaining nothing from their sale.

13 You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,
the scorn and derision of those around us.

14 You have made us a byword among the nations;
the peoples shake their heads at us.

15 My disgrace is before me all day long,
and my face is covered with shame

16 at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me,
because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.

17 All this happened to us,
though we had not forgotten you
or been false to your covenant.

18 Our hearts had not turned back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.

19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals
and covered us over with deep darkness.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21 would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?

22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.

24 Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression?

25 We are brought down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.

26 Rise up and help us;
redeem us because of your unfailing love.