Unrushed Faith
Embracing the Journey of Surrender
The Psalmist David was masterful at expressing the deep, raw emotions of human longing and despair through his songs. His psalms, filled with intense pain and heartfelt cries, offer comfort in knowing that even someone described as “a man after God’s own heart” had moments of doubt and disappointment. However, I believe the way we often interpret and apply this in the Christian community can unintentionally do a disservice to those who are suffering.
Take Psalm 13, for example. This psalm can be divided into three sections: the complaint (verses 1-2), the petition (verses 3-4), and the surrender (verses 5-6). When I first studied this in church, it was taught as if David composed the entire psalm in one sitting, with the lesson being that it’s okay to ask God questions, but you must always close your prayer with “Your will be done” or “I trust in You.”
But what if that’s not how you feel? Is it still pleasing to God if your surrender isn’t genuine? What if we’re misunderstanding the process David went through in Psalm 13?
One thing we know for certain is that David wrote Psalm 13 while hiding from his enemies, possibly during King Saul’s persecution or Absalom’s rebellion. However, the Bible doesn’t specify how long it took him to compose this psalm. Artists often begin a work in one season and finish it months or even years later. Yet, we tend to assume that the format of this psalm should be imitated quickly as if the journey from complaint to surrender must be instantaneous.
What if David first poured out his complaints to the Lord, as we see in the initial verses of Psalm 13, but didn’t reach the place of surrender right away? How would that change the way we minister to those who are hurting and struggling with their faith?
Would we become more patient and compassionate, allowing people the space to explore their emotions and grievances without judgment? Could we stop labeling their struggles as self-pity, pride, or lack of faith simply because they haven’t “moved on” yet? Instead of imposing an invisible timer, would we let them wrestle with God in their dark moments, trusting that He is patient and willing to meet them there? Philippians 1:6 reminds us that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” If God is patient with us, gradually bringing us to completion, why aren’t we patient with others?
Imagine if we allowed people to find God in the midst of their suffering, letting them arrive at surrender when it’s genuine—when they have truly learned to trust the Lord, rather than just reciting verses they think they’re supposed to say to be a “good” Christian. How would that impact their faith? How would that impact the church? How would that impact the world?
