"Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven..." Psalm 32:1
Perhaps the word "happy" isn't what comes to mind when we think about Lent. I mean, Lent is all about repentance, right? Yes: Lent is about confession and repentance. In Lent, we confess that we've denied God's goodness in each other, in ourselves, and in the world God made. But the thing is: Lent isn't a season just to feel miserable or unworthy. Lent isn't about grinding ourselves for forty days until Easter comes. Instead, Lent is a season about being restored and renewed by God who has opened the way of forgiveness for us.
The psalmist writes, "Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven..." In this season of Lent, Psalm 32 actually invites us to find happiness: happiness that comes from being forgiven by God.
Happiness for the psalmist isn't about being sinless or perfect, nor is it about ignoring our sin and accountability to one another. God has opened the way for us to confess our sins and be forgiven—and at our deepest core, being human is not about being a sinner but about being loved and transformed by the One who defeated the power of sin on the cross. The steadfast love of God is an open doorway to repentance, forgiveness, amendment of life, and trust in God.
Psalm 32 reminds us that when we sin, it's the same God who loves us that forgives us. Even when we sin, God still provides a way for us to experience happiness. Happiness that comes from acknowledging our sin and accepting God's forgiveness. Happiness from being forgiven by God who is swift to forgive, then amending our lives and seeking reconciliation—attending to God's instruction, as the psalmist puts it.
"Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; shout for joy, all who are true of heart." Psalm 32:12
This Lent—in this season of repentance, restoration, and renewal—may we find happiness knowing that sin isn't the end of the story, for God is full of abundant love, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. "Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven..."
Amen.