Fight Club
Dear Savannah and Sutton,
I think the fight within yourself is the toughest battle of all. We battle feeling worthy, we battle doubt, anxiety, bodily pain, emotional pain, grief, and so much more. And then there is the guilt of even having these feelings. The weight makes your eyebrows crunch and your shoulders slouch. And if there is no pathway for resolution, and no space for honesty, it all festers. The writer of this week’s psalm has discovered the relief and restoration of surrendered guilt. It appears that the pathway of restoration is filled with the fragrance of God’s love, and dependent upon replacing that guilt with love’s grace. And that begins the work of change.
-Dad
Inside Out Lectionary Letters
Year A - 1st Sunday in Lent (Texts, Art, Hymns)
Readings for February 22, 2026
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 / Psalm 32 / Romans 5:12-19 / Matthew 4:1-11
This psalm is attributed to King David. The language seems to match David’s repentance for all that happened in the story of Bathsheba, as found in 2 Samuel 11-12. It is a beautiful hymn of repentance and forgiveness, and it gives us a window into the inner journey of David. Secrecy is paired with misery. Confession is paired with forgiveness. And transparency is paired with mercy.
The psalm bounces around a bit. The inner journey doesn’t often fit an organized timeline, with a rigid sequence of acts and consequences. It is subjective and often moves with jumps and setbacks. However, sometimes it is valuable to hear someone else’s journey and learn from their experience. So let’s look at this psalm.
Verse 8 - The psalmist says, “I will teach you.”
Verse 9 - Replace your temper with understanding.
Verse 10 - The inner secrets just lead to inner torments.
Verses 3,4 - Silence is wasteful, drains your strength and is exhausting.
Verse 5 - Confession is good and forgiveness is great.
Verses 6,7 - Hiding in the Divine is infinitly better than hiding in one’s self.
Verses 1,2,11 - Happiness and joy belong to those who are free from the weight of guilt by receiving the grace of forgiveness, accepting the love of the Divine and letting go of the secrecy of pain and regret.
But I can’t forget Uriah. He doesn’t get his life back. He doesn’t get his family restored. Nor can I forget Bathsheba. Did she lose everything she knew and loved? Did the power of the King negate her wishes and desires? This isn’t a happy-ever-after ending for any of the characters in the story. Admitting wrong and acknowledging guilt can certainly lighten the load of inner anguish. But that very admission inaugurates the posture of regret. And then comes the work of change.