A Modern Theology of Lament and Questioning

 

A Synthesis and Review of J. Richard Middleton’s Abraham’s Silence: The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God

One of the buzzwords in our culture is that of “deconstructing”, where those  of usually Christian faith begin a process of tearing down their beliefs and usually becoming atheistic. What has led to this phenomena that has grabbed a hold of many, especially in the younger generations? While there are many who go down various tracts of talking about various elements of spiritual abuse, toxic environments, bad theology and hypocrisy (all of which are reasons why people are deconstructing) one that many seem to be forgetting to address is that of the problem of pain and evil. 

Much of the time, in our world full of brokenness and pain, we look at the problems and issues before us, and seem to get frozen in a state of knowing what to do. Much of our evangelical western Christian culture has given us the view that in the face of pain and suffering we are to unquestioningly respond that “God knows”, and while we may be with people through their pain and suffering, it doesn’t really go beyond that. This at least for me was the way and method of dealing with pain and suffering. “Don’t show your emotion, just swallow the tears, be stone faced and know God has it in the end” Obviously, for someone on the pastoral track, that is not a very good way to conduct pastoral care!

What is the Biblical example when it comes to pain and suffering? I have recently read J. Richard Middleton’s book called Abraham’s Silence: The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God which deals with this very question. While it is a more academic work and goes deep into the text, I still find it is very accessible for the regular reader. 

Middleton proposes, as I have come to agree with him; that our response to God in the face of suffering is very different from the characters in Scripture. Before we break down what this response is, let’s look at a couple direct examples and see if we can notice the response to God. 

Psalm 10:1, Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Psalm 39:4, “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.

Exodus 31:11-12,  But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people.

Job 15:11, God has turned me over to the ungodly, and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.

These are just a couple examples of many throughout the Old Testament (though they are in the New as well) of people during times of pain and/or lament, and their response is to question or push back to God as to why it is happening. Why is this important? Because the idea of pushing back or questioning God goes right to the heart of His reason for creation. God wanted a family, people like Him who could know and love Him. How does one get to know another person? Through dialogue, understanding what motivates them, and through that there is understanding and relationship. 

This is where I will again recommend checking out Middleton’s book, as he elaborates this concept much more thoroughly than I ever could. It is masterful, and goes to the heart of God’s desire to know each one of us, and lays out how through our lamenting and questioning God, He meets us in that. 

For our modern day what is this to look like? Firstly, in the face of suffering and pain we should go to God. But how we go to God may need to look a little different. In Hebrews we are encouraged to, “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). Do we press in and ask God the what and why of what is going on? Do we recite who we know He is, and ask at this time why it is happening? It is in these times of suffering that God can draw near to us. Instead of being settled with “accepting the pain”, do we press into who God is, questioning what is going on. 

Having this perspective could drastically change our interaction with pain and suffering in the world around us. If we had the response to pain as our default, would the answers we give as to why there is pain and suffering be more satisfying for those potentially deconstructing? It wouldn’t be a 100% bet, but it would provide a response that is Biblically grounded, and allows us to comprehend the reality of suffering and evil.