Psalms of Lament

Joy is something that can be a hard subject. I know what it is to be sad. Somehow, in the midst of grief, God is able to provide a deep joy that could only come from Him. His joy truly is my strength, especially in times of trouble. While this is fully true, it is possible to be sad at the same time. I have been learning recently about Psalms of lament. I picked up a Bible study a while back that goes into detail with different Psalms. The one I just finished was Psalms 42-43. In this Psalm, the writer feels far from God. They are longing to be near Him again, thirsting for Him (Psalm 42:1-2). The thing that impacted me the most in this passage was how honest the writer is with God. He doesn't hide how he is feeling. He opens his heart up and pours out every honest thought he has. Reading through and studying this passage encouraged me to be open and honest with God as well. God already knows my thoughts, so there is no use hiding from Him. He so badly wants to wrap me in His arms and comfort me. I have had a season of not feeling close to Him, and I was experiencing exactly what the writer was describing. I felt like I could read this Psalm as a personal prayer, almost word for word. It's funny in a way, because this is a Psalm that I would have skimmed over just a few years ago. I used to be drawn to Psalms of joy and victory! But Psalms like this one are just as powerful. I love how, even in the midst of honesty and struggle, the writer still proclaims God's goodness and expresses praise. Yes, there is sorrow and difficulty, but there is victory in proclaiming truth. So in a way, this is a Psalm of joy and victory! I am growing closer to God every day, especially when I let Him in and let Him be my comforter. He is such a good father, and I am so thankful for His faithfulness.