Listening to a musical artist live is one of my favorite experiences. I recently saw Joel Ansett (check out his tour), and he was tremendous. Not just a musician, but a true storyteller, and he wove a journey with the purposeful intent for his listeners to find healing and hope. Maybe not every song for every person, but perhaps a line, a chord progression, or a thought that each person could connect with on a deeper level. The live show was more than just a thing to do, more than entertainment on a Saturday night, but rather an invitation to lament, find joy, and find hope.
Lament
My wife accompanied me to the show, and in preparation, she started listening to Joel’s music. I asked her how it was going, and she replied, “he seems sad or depressed.” (Joel agrees with this!) But I would argue that his songs are sad because he was writing songs of lament. Lamenting is a holy practice, one found often in the Psalms. In simple terms, a lament recognizes that something is not as it should be. We all know life isn’t fair, but sometimes it is just so overwhelmingly agonizing that we need to stop and cry out. We can’t just keep smiling and pretend it is all going to be ok. Calling out the brokenness is a holy task because it reminds us that the world is not yet as it should be. God put lamenting in the Bible, so you can be sure that He doesn’t shy away when we have laments.
Healing
Have you ever felt guilty for feeling sad? Didn’t Paul say we should give thanks in all circumstances, so how dare we offer a complaint? I have a plastic dumpster on fire with the “This is Fine Dog” sitting on it. Is that who we are supposed to be as Christians? When the whole world feels like it is on fire, we smile cheerily and pretend everything is fine. Or do we find healing through announcing our lament and allowing that recognition to drive us to more resounding cries for God? And, sure, part of healing is finding a place where we can participate in thanksgiving once again. For me, Joel’s songs help in that process of finding lament and then finding thanksgiving. For example, “Lost for Now” is about a person experiencing the first sunset. How terrifying it is for us to lose something so key to our lives. Yet the end of the song is a reminder that in God’s hands, when we lose those good things, they are only gone for now. We can mourn our loss and then express our joy and thanksgiving to a God who makes all things new.
Grieving can be one of the most challenging experiences in the modern church. There are no words that heal deep wounds of loss and hurt. For me, and I would hazard to guess a lot of people, I find healing in music that helps to express the wound in my soul. Songs remind us that we are not alone and that we aren’t the only ones who have those types of feelings or thoughts. And often, songs express the deeper emotions that we may not even know how to express. Sitting in the church, letting Joel and Dan serenade and soothe our souls was tremendously healing.
Hope
In his song, “If You Really Knew,” he sings, “You throw your arms out wide and I extend my hand.” I can’t think of a more moving picture of God’s love for us. I know me, know the most unlovable parts of me, and God does too. Yet God still pursues a relationship with us at every moment and turn. God loves you at your worst. You don’t have to clean yourself up or get it all right for God to agree to love you. He already loves you more than you can ever understand. When you go through tragedy, grief, and mourning, this is not a sign that God loves you less. Or to put it another way, it is not God’s punishment because you deserve it. The world is broken by sin and death. Jesus wept. He knew he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, but he still wept. I think that one reason He cried was because He knew that His followers would suffer, as the world was not yet as it will be. Jesus’ tears were tears of lament.
Jesus doesn’t leave us there stuck in our brokenness in the broken world. He reminds us that though we may have trouble, He has overcome the world. If you have breath, then you have hope. God brings new mercies every day, and He is making all things new. You may not see all of the wrongs right, the hurts assuaged, or the injustice corrected tomorrow. But hope reminds us that one day you will.
One Song at a Time
If I haven’t been clear enough, let me be blunt. If you enjoy songwriters who are storytellers, you should do everything you can to be at a Joel Ansett show. I have linked to several of his songs, but listening to them online pales in comparison to being in the room and hearing his heart. If you need a place where lamenting feels comfortable, don’t miss this tour. And if you do, I know you will find a song that will connect you to lament, healing, and hope.
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