Exhausting Enthusiasm

by Rebecca Kiser

Do you ever get tired of the christian answers? Like when life is being particularly unfair, and you know if someone quotes you another encouraging Bible verse you’re gonna grab the nearest heavy object and launch it through the wall?
What about being the positive one; the one giving those answers? Does it ever become too hard to manage that automatic, encouraging response you’ve perfected?

When life makes you feel like you’re unraveling, do you ever just want to take a minute to unravel?

My best friend moved across the country.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him…”

All of my friends betrayed me.
“I know the plans that I have for you… Plans to give you a hope and a future.”

I got fired.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart...”

There are literally not enough hours in the day to get everything done.
“I can do all things...”

NO! I’m over it. I need some sympathy, some time to be mad, and, sometimes, I just need to be validated in the fact that life is so unfair. I need a minute to digest my anger and sadness before I can be encouraged.

Wasn’t there anyone in the Bible who ever just complained to God? Anyone who wasn’t satisfied with the, “It’s all gonna be ok” kind of answers? Can I really be the only Christian to ever want to just be mad?

Cue David.

I like David because he tells it like it is. He doesn’t sugar coat things, he doesn’t give a fake smile and a church kid answer. He’s not afraid to tell God what he thinks. Check out Psalm 13:

O Lord, how long will you forget me?
Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
With sorrow in my heart everyday?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
Psalm 13:1-4 NLT

Preach, David, preach.

He’s the guy in the room that says what everyone else is thinking.

I think as a church, we are afraid to say things like that; to allow ourselves to feel things like that. We hide all of our heartbreak and anger behind a smile because we’re supposed to have it all together. We’re supposed to be filled with this overwhelming joy because we have Jesus, and we have to make it look like we’re happy so other people will want Him too. We’re supposed to give the encouraging Bible verse answers.

And it’s not like we don’t have that joy and happiness; we absolutely do. We just aren’t overflowing with it every moment of every day.

And that’s ok.

David was clearly not overcome with joy when he wrote Psalm 13, but he still knew that joy in his heart. The last two verses show where his hope is:

But I will trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.
Psalm 13:5-6 NLT

The key word here is, “But”. David gets all the irritation and throw-things-through-walls anger out of his system first, and then he says, “Despite it all, God is still good, and I’m going to be ok.”
He’s saying, “This life is unfair, I don’t understand why God isn’t doing anything, I’m angry about all of this, but I know that God still has good things for me through it all, and I’m choosing to trust him, even though I don’t like it.”

David knows that there is wonderful joy ahead, that God works all things for good, and that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. He trusts God. He’s just also has real human emotions and isn’t afraid to own them.

You’re allowed to be angry. God doesn’t expect us to be radiating with joy every second.
Yes, all of those verses are absolutely true.
Yes, they are laced with the Holy Spirit and the power to change your mindset.
Yes, they do give me immeasurable amounts of hope.

But that doesn’t mean they are always what we need to tell people, or what we need to hear ourselves. Take a minute to unravel, then let the hope and love of Jesus put you back together.