How many of you have talked about lamenting in the past few weeks? Nobody? Or one or two of you? It’s not a word that often finds its way into our conversations, is it?
So I was a bit surprised when I found it showing up multiple times over the past month or so. That’s the usual sign that I’m supposed to do something with it.
Let’s look at a basic definition first, and then we’ll unpack this interesting word.
According to dictionary.com, lamenting means “to feel, show, or express grief, sorrow, or regret; to mourn deeply.” Keep that in mind.
The first time the word showed up in my day was in the song by Rend Collective entitled “Hallelujah Anyway.”
The phrase that caught my attention was, “I hear a hymn of triumph in the wilderness of my lament.” I remember thinking at the time, “Isn’t ‘lament’ a pretty word?” How ironic is that! Kind of “French-like.” I didn’t delve into the truth of the phrase at that point.
The next time it showed up was in one of the videos from the GriefShare sessions that I facilitate. One of the featured “grievers” talked about her hesitancy to grieve the loss of her son. But as she realized how much lamenting was in the Bible, she started to look at it differently.
She wisely shared with us the difference between complaining about God, in her sorrow, and complaining to God about her sorrow. You might have guessed – lamenting is the latter.
“Lament” came up in a couple of recent conversations and then today, a friend posted on Facebook that she was starting a Bible study entitling “Learning to Lament.” I actually sent her a Facebook message, letting her know how often “lament” was showing up in my world, and that I was considering it as the next blog topic. She confirmed that God was clearly speaking through her and that, indeed, I must write on this topic!
So, here we are! Lots more background than usual, but sometimes I think the journey from vague idea to definite blog topic is a story unto itself.
While I haven’t consciously considered my past 6+ years of grieving as lamenting, I’m beginning to see how it has been very much a part of my life journey. I have often, through many tears, laid my heartache at the feet of God, letting him know how completely broken I felt.
I think I’m a bit of a natural lamenter. I don’t really stuff those emotions down very far. They are often front and center, and God is the most-likely recipient of my bemoaning.
The Bible dedicates an entire book, Lamentations, to this topic. Of course poor Job had a lot of lamenting going on with his friends, and more pointedly, with God.
The Psalms are full of deep expressions of sorrow, especially from David, who purportedly wrote 73 of the 150 Psalms. In so many of them, he is clearly laying his distress before the Lord.
We would be wise to take note of the clear presence of lamenting in the Bible. Do you feel as though God shouldn’t be bothered with your troubles? Do you think it’s disrespectful to tell him that you’re hurting deeply?
As a Christian, the Bible is our guide for living in this crazy world. So, based on the prevalence of lamenting in God’s Word, I recommend you add this to your Christian skill set!
Perhaps you feel that complaining to God isn’t in the Christian’s best interests. Then I have another bit of biblical wisdom to share with you.
While I haven’t checked out every instance of lamenting, I do know that in many/most cases, the lamenter ends his/her diatribe by recognizing God’s faithfulness to them, often leading to a deeper understanding of who God is, and resulting in heartfelt praise to God.
This is where Job lands after many chapters of lamenting (Job 19:25-27):
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!”
This is the trajectory of a godly lament. Yes, pour your heart out to God and don’t be concerned that it’s more than he can handle. Let his peace and his strength and his comfort infuse your spirit. Be grateful for what you’ve learned in the process, and end with praise to God for his faithfulness to you.
For a more in-depth look at this essential topic, check out this article:
Biblical Lament: What It Is and How to Do It – Open the Bible
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8
Leave a Reply