Life has its seasons.
There are times when life just makes sense. When “all is right with the world” and we experience a satisfaction with our work, our family, our relationships, or in our personal life. We wish that we could push pause and live in these moments forever. Joy comes easily. Laughter bubbles up with little effort. All is right with the world. We might call this a season of orientation.
Then there are times when life makes no sense. Our experience in the world is difficult and our thoughts are drawn toward deep questions about life. Why is this happening to me? What is going on with the world? And in these times, we long to “go back” to the way it was. Our hearts yearn for that better world. The world we once experienced. Joy does not come easily. Perhaps there are tears, and mourning. Or there is reflection and sadness. We might call this a season of disorientation.
Eventually we begin to experience a new normal. A life that is not quite the same as the life we left behind, yet is close to it, and perhaps even better in some ways. We find ourselves laughing easily and joy comes more naturally to us once again. This is a season of re-orientation.
This pattern of movement from orientation to disorientation to re-orientation is common across our human experience. If we live long enough, we will experience each of these seasons’ multiple times in our lives.
It shouldn’t surprise us that the psalms are filled with these three seasons as well.
Psalm 8 is a psalm of orientation. It says,
“O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!” (Psalm 8:1a, NLT) The writer is happy and content with the world.
Psalm 13 is a psalm of disorientation. It says, “
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 every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?” (Psalm 13:1–2, NLT)
The writer is at odds with the world around him and is struggling to find answers.
Psalm 40 is a psalm of re-orientation. It says,
“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” (Psalm 40:1–2, NLT)
The writer has passed through the season of disorientation and he is praising God who brought him through his troubles and blessed him once again. The Psalmist has a new orientation, he says,
“He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:3, NLT)
The writer’s confidence has been restored. All is right with the world again and his faith in God is strong.
Disorientation is not a bad thing.
Our hearts want to run from disorientation. We want a bad season to be over quickly. We want to move on and just get it all over with.
But embracing disorientation is not a bad thing for us. It might actually benefit us in the long run.
A friend of mine once memorized Psalm 13 while he was in a long season of disorientation. He called it “Lucky Psalm 13.” And he used it, almost daily, to help put words to his negative experience. In the end God turned that season of disorientation for good in his life and gave him a new season.
But let’s not dwell on disorientation for long. Let’s move on to fresh hope and fresh faith and fresh promises.
In fact, Psalm 13 ends with a little bit of hope.
But I 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)
And that is indeed good news.
This season will pass. Disorientation will end. God is still on the throne. Of that we can be sure.
And in the meantime, we can praise God and put our trust in Him and embrace Him and all that He is doing in our lives at this time. We can choose to say with the Psalmist, “I will sing to the Lord because he has been good to me.”
I want to encourage you to use this season to read the Psalms in a fresh way.
Do you have a longing for the days when life seemed to make sense? Do you want to remember what that felt like? Try reading some psalms of orientation. (Psalm 8, 24, 33, 104, 133, 145)
Are you struggling to process the questions and feelings you have right now? Try reading some psalms of disorientation. They might help put some words to what you are feeling. (Psalm 13, 35, 74, 86, 95, 137)
Do you want to know there is hope at the end of it all? Do you need a boost? Try reading some psalms of re-orientation. (Psalm 29, 40, 47, 93, 97, 98, 99, 114, 148, 150)
Have a great week and know that your Pastors and church staff are praying for you every day!
In His Grip,
Pastor Steve