The Practice of Biblical Lament as a Means Towards Facilitating Authenticity and Psychological Well-Being
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The Practice of Biblical Lament as a Means Towards Facilitating Authenticity and Psychological Well-Being June F. Dickie 1,2 Accepted: 2 September 2020/ # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract
Biblical lament provides a vital way of maintaining a healthy relationship with God when one’s life experience does not match up with one’s beliefs. Not to lament in such a situation is to deny authenticity. And, as the psychological theories of authenticity indicate, this leads to a person having reduced self-esteem and a lower sense of personal well-being. In this study, women (and a few men) from a poor community in Cape Town, South Africa, were invited to study some psalms of lament and then to compose their own laments. A validated measure of authenticity (the Authenticity Index) was administered to them before and after the lament exercise, as well as Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale and two measures of personal well-being (the Affect Balance Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale). It became apparent that the opportunity to express themselves using the form of biblical lament led to a greater sense of authenticity for participants. Their responses on the other scales also indicated that they found the opportunity to lament led to an enhanced sense of self-esteem and well-being. This suggests that those committed to facilitating psychological healing for those who have suffered trauma will do well to provide space for pain-bearers to lament following the biblical pattern. Keywords Biblical lament . Authenticity . Spiritual authenticity . Well-being . Self-esteem . Psalms . Community . Authenticity index . Rosenberg's self-esteem scale . Satisfaction with life scale . Affect Balance Scale (Bradburn) . Psychological healing . Trauma Scott Ellington identifies two truths that dominate in the life of a God-follower: the truth of experience and the truth of belief. When these two truths are out of synchronization, a means is required to hold them in creative tension. This is the role of lament. If we dismiss our beliefs when they fail to tally with experience, we are left with nothing bigger than our own experience. But if we hold rigidly to belief statements that fail to be realized in experience, we deny reality and learn
* June F. Dickie [email protected]
1
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
2
15 Waterford Circle, Kirstenhof 7945, South Africa
Pastoral Psychology
to live a lie, settling for diminished authenticity and a reduced sense of well-being. However, lament following the biblical pattern risks confronting God with the pain and confusion being experienced. As a result, both the person’s perception of the experience and his/her beliefs are likely to change. Lament can shake up rigid beliefs to facilitate a relationship with God that is vibrant and open to change and that will become deeper and stronger. In this study, the question is: Can an understanding and practice of biblical lament help those experiencing difficulties (perceived as bein
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