At Tulip Street, there seems to be a type of worship song that elicits the most response in our gatherings. Songs dealing with suffering seem to “click” with people. For instance, the songs Trading My Sorrows and Blessed Be Your Name seem to pull more emotion out of those we worship with than any other songs we do at our church. The singing is louder and more heartfelt, there are more hands raised, and really there is just a sense of energy in the room during these songs of suffering.My question is this: What is it about suffering that brings out this kind of response?
Think about that a bit, and add your comments (simply click “comments” at the end of the post). Let’s see if we can get a discussion going about suffering. It’s something that we all face on different levels all throughout our lives – maybe we can help each other out by sharing our thoughts!
2 comments:
I think that I am drawn to suffering in a sense. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I enjoy it, it's more as if I want desperately to know that I am not alone. I'm the kind of person who needs to hear that my small amounts of suffering are empathized by someone else. When songs such as the ones you have listed help me to realize that even my small tribulations are of concern to God, then I feel closer to Him. Even though I don't understand him completely, I feel His love for me. When I think of the words of the songs you mentinoed, I know what I have said doesn't make much sense. But I like to think of it this way...sometimes I get down on myself and things that are going on in my life. When I find opportunites to praise God in spite of that, it makes Him very happy. It's a reflection of the unconditional love that He gives us and I want desperately to return it to Him.
You asked what it is about suffering that brings out that response. I think it's not so much the suffering as it is the religious experience that's going on there that elicits the response.
I think it's not the nature of suffering that evokes the stronger emotional response from people, as it is human nature itself. To be more precise, the way our brain is 'wired'.
I'm making an assumption here, but overall I think for people in general negative emotions or thoughts affect us more profoundly than positive ones do.
Grief and suffering have a way of pushing all other emotions to the background, making it hard to see beyond them.
Also suffering is a lonely experience, it can make you feel very isolated and alone, vulnerable even.
So imagine going to church on sunday and standing up with all these other people, no longer alone, consider worshipping as an act of defiance, casting off the shackles that suffering and grief put on you, bolstered by God's love.
So I think it's not the suffering itself, it's the way it is dealt with that fills people with spirit (or Spirit if you will).
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