“My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” The Gospels report this as Jesus words from the cross. As many of you will know, these words are the beginning of Psalm 22. As a good Jew, Jesus was instructed in prayer by the psalms. This particular psalm is a classic example of a psalm of lament or complaint. During Holy Week, when it is so easy for pastors to exhaust themselves offering various worship opportunities for the congregation, sometimes with disappointing attendance, it might be a good time to also remember that complaining is a valid and valuable act in the practice of our faith.
As a pastor, you may have counseled others that venting your anger to God can be a healthy exercise. Far too often we have seen how a tragic event or major disappointment has caused a person to be angry at God and resulted in alienating a believer from the faith. It is when a person is able to shout out their anger at God that they discover that God is not offended and listens to their expression of anger with compassion.
My concern is that too many pastors may recognize that as valuable for others but fail to practice it in their own life and ministry. While each of the psalms of lament have their unique expressions of complaint, this holy week, find some private moments and focus on Psalm 22, inserting your own name and experience as you pray it aloud. Feel your experiences of hurt, anger, disappointment in ministry being given voice as you speak the words. Put emotion into it and tell God of some of your frustrations and disillusionment as you exhaust yourself in ministry.
Don’t back off because Jesus’ experience on the cross is far more critical than what you are experiencing. If only metaphorically, you also know what it is to be crucified because you are striving to be faithful. If Jesus can complain to God, why can’t you?
