The path became holy ground. As we wound our way through the sunlit woods, our conversation turned to the upcoming anniversary of her beloved boy’s death. Pain and dread cut through my friend like a knife. Words stuck in her throat and tears fell as she doubled over in grief. I stopped beside her and placed my hand on her back, yearning to bring comfort where no comfort could be found. There we stood in the middle of the path, undone before the Lord and each other. It seemed only the trees stood sentinel with us, our hearts crying out, “God, where are you? We can’t bear this pain! Why have you forsaken us?”
Can we really talk to God like this? Can we dare to call such questioning “holy”? I know I only dare enter this space of protest because He welcomes lament. And God doesn’t merely allow such soul-wrenching wrestling—He invites it.
Lament—the practice of bringing our struggles, mourning, and sorrow to God—is good and right. Scripture instructs us to “pour out [our] hearts before Him” (Psalm 62:8). In fact, over a third of the psalms are songs of sorrow and lament. Even Jesus, knowing that He would bring Lazarus back to life, was deeply troubled and openly wept over death (John 11:33–36).
We are not alone as we carry the weight of sadness, anger, disappointment, anxiety, and fear. All creation joins us as we groan for God to heal and restore every person, place, and thing (Romans 8:22). In lament, God offers us a release-valve as we actively express our emotions. We can pour out our pain to Him both personally and communally alongside others.
God invites us to echo the psalmists as we sing sorrow’s songs, and to honestly express our doubts and distress (see Psalm 13, 22, and 42). Yet, we often decline His invitation to lament, and the pressure of pain and anguish builds. Why do we resist? Maybe we feel guilty questioning God and think it’s sinful to admit struggle. Maybe we assume that acceptable faith should always appear positive and unshakeable. Or, maybe we equate being close to God with mountaintop experiences full of praise and celebration.
Let’s be clear: expressing both praise and pain to God is worship. Whether we are joyfully raising our hands or sorrowfully turning our tear-streaked faces toward Him, we are seeking God and engaging in genuine relationship with our Creator. As we lament, as we grieve, Jesus stands with us as the one who has wrestled with and beaten death itself. He gives the comfort of His presence that soothes, restores, and brings us back to life.
Leave a Reply
131 thoughts on "Lament"
God does not let pain go unwanted. He uses all of our pain for our good, he works everything out for the better of our lives and for his will. I know how hard it is to see or even believe in the moment, but he is near. Always! Just tell him how you feel, even what you have posted for us to read you can even share that with him. Let him handle your pain, know you are not alone!
What a message, I was just thinking the other day about how we try to dress up our thoughts and prayers for God when He wants us to share our truth with Him, be angry or sad, yell or cry; He just wants you as you are
Oh Susan…I’m praying for peace for you. Also, that God would draw you near and into his lap to hold you tight. ❤️
Oh Susan…I’m praying for peace for you. Also, that God would draw you near and into his lap to hold you tight.
There is nothing pointless. God makes something out of everything whether it be what you want or something you never even thought of. Trust ♥️
I find lament difficult. I am in pain every day and my life has changed to the point where I know I will not have a relationship again. I guess I find it pointless to turn this over to God. It won’t change it so it will only make me angry.
♥️
This helped me see expressing the hard things to God as praise and connection. I’m so grateful.
What a beautiful friend we have in Jesus!
Thank you God, that you are good and your love endures forever.
This hit home for me, my son just finished his last cancer treatment on Friday and now that it is all over and he won his battle, I find myself struggling with how much my son had to suffer for almost a year. Chemotherapy, two brain surgeries, multiple week stays in the hospital, thirty treatments of radiation…my son suffered! Through it all I stayed strong and praised God for the victories and worshiped through the difficult times…but now that it is over I have a sense of sadness and hurt over all the suffering. I need my time to lament and seek Him for this hurt I now feel.
What a loving savior we have. I’m so undeserving
Practicing to bring troubles to God as part of worship. Amen
“He is bigger than I thought he was” he was all my pain, fears and doubts. He wants me to drop it at his feet and look towards him!
This lesson really helped me. I’ve been grieving the lost of my Grandmother and I felt guilty for screaming out to God. I felt like I was faithless but reading this lesson has set me “Free”! Lord I Thank You that I can not only share my highs but my lows in life with you. My heart is soooo full right now!
Only he who beat death has the legitimacy to strengthen us in mourning
Tara & Rhonda yes! Such a good reminder!!! He is the one we should turn to first. He is the who should take these feelings from us so we don’t end up blowing up at the people we love!
Yes Rhonda, I often release it with or at someone at before I release it with Him! Great reminder!
“In lament, God offers us a release-valve as we actively express our emotions” ~ this resonated with me so much as I have been physically holding stress in my body! Just this morning I was trying to figure out al the ways I could release it, the answer always comes from Him. So grateful for those words today. He already knows my heart so I only need to honestly pray in all my mess + muck, release will come!
At some point in the years past I made notes in my Bible on John 11. They said, at Martha’s refusal to open the tomb, “Jesus is not reluctant to open passages to our pain”. Can you imagine the pain it would bring to open that tomb after grieving and lamenting for days, only to be more strongly reminded of Lazarus’ death? Yet on the other side was not what she expected. There was life there. Life on the other side of her passage of pain. My notes also say at verse 40, “His focus is not on the problems to be encountered (like Martha’s was) but with the glory that is possible if we allow Him in.”
God met me here in this passage…It was perfect timing while deeply grieving even more than 2 years after losing my best friend and sister in law. I’m grateful He used this study to draw me in through my passage of pain toward life on the other side. Life I refused to understand could possibly be or believe existed but I think I see it now.
I love this one so much!!!
What a heavy but real thing. I’m grateful for a Heavenly Father who is with us through it all.
I struggled with wanting to lament and not wanting to seem like I had a lack of faith during my dad’s battle with cancer. Even after he passed away I struggled with how I wanted to respond and how I felt like I “should” respond.
So sorry to hear your loss Lauren. But so glad that you have joined us for this passage to be reminded of how we can be in the pain with Jesus, and receive God’s soothing comforting restoring healing life-giving presence.
Praying praying praying for you!
Praying now
Lexi – Your post touched my heart – Grieving something that never happened. I love how God can reach out and let us know He sees us. Starting the study late – which led to you reading this on the exact day you needed to hear it. God sees You and He sees Your pain. He loves You more than you can imagine.
Wow, such a great point. Thank you for sharing.
I am behind on the study as I received the book later in the mail… I think this was meant to be because I read this today. Today when I had to take off of work due to pain and sadness. My husband and I wrestled with fostering a girl and finally accepted that we wanted to commit. We became overly excited to find out that her other foster family isn’t closing their doors to her anymore. I tried to be excited for her and find peace in the fact that consistency is what she needs. But I am in pain and it almost feels like I’m grieving an experience that never even happened….I tried to hide it but I can’t hide the pain from God. He wants me to express my sorrow and be honest with him about my struggle and pain… this couldn’t have happened at a better time for me. I will be reading some of the verses over and over the next few days.
We have four kids, two bio and two foster. Periodically we get calls about other kids but we didn’t not feel we could effectively help them and the children we already have. Everytime I grieve the loss of what it might have been like to know that child. I never expected to grieve the ones I never knew and it felt silly at first. Thank you for sharing and reminding me that I’m not alone. I cannot imagine fostering without God’s grace and being adopted by him.
Lament…God really does want us to cry out to him when we are facing crisis of something big or even small…I work so hard to stay positive and upbeat around people in my life who are so negative and seem to have no joy in their life…my car is my private place to share my frustration and my complaints of the day but now I see that’s it’s not something to try to hide from but it’s something that is worthy of His time❤️
Losing my husband suddenly in 2011 (with four children to care for) and now facing a diagnosis of stage four breast cancer, I can testify that God doesn’t just allow such soul searching and questioning, He invites it. He desires us to be brutally honest in our search for Him in the midst of pain and grief, as He already knows everything. And being honest bring freedom. It releases the pressure building within us. It opens our eyes to the presence of Jesus. Who has been standing with us – whose presence beings comfort and peace; whose love soothes and restores. Allowing myself to lament before God has brought me into a deeper relationship with Him. One that I wouldn’t trade for anything!
This came at a perfect time in my life right now. Please send prayers for the deep pain I feel, I am tempted to think it will last forever but I know it does not. God is with me, and Jesus weeps with me. I never want to forget that
Amen
Truly sorry for your loss & the pain of living without someone you cherish. Praying God provides peace & hope through your grief. Thinking of you x
Vs 41, “know that you hear me” this was such a great reminder that he hears us all the time he is with us even when we forget or don’t think he is present.
I often am unable to see Christ and God as another personal relationship. But this drew a fine picture of what love truly it… through the thick and thin God wants me to be intimately involved with Him ❤️
Thank you for this message. It is exactly what my heart needed to hear. I lost my daughter, my only child, in November to a terminal illness. Ever since, I have struggled to pray because I feel so angry and distraught. I feel God has abandoned me in my pain and grief. I had not considered that lamenting could be a form of worship. I have felt guilty in my questioning and wrestling with my faith. I have barely cracked open my Bible in months, but this was the scripture I needed.
Same, Amanda! I’d never thought about it that way. As I was reading the verses, it hit me that God wants all of it (our praise and pain, as the devo says) because He wants all of us. And that took my breath away.
I’m so grateful that our God knows how to empathize with us when we are in pain, and that his grace is sufficient for us in our suffering because His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12). Blessed be the name of the Lord!
This spoke to me so much. I feel like I can’t lament, like I need to be positive and joyful all the time, but seeing this as an act of worship is refreshing. I am going to work on this practice so he can heal my wounds, and the Glory goes to God!
You give and take away, Lord blessed be Your Name!!!
This was so good about something I have not given much thought to. Someday we will all see clearly God‘s hand at work in our lives until then let us praise him and lament.
It stuck me that both Martha & Mary (who had very different personalities) say almost the same thing to Jesus that, simply put, blames him for not being there to heal their brother. In Kiebler-Ross’ thesis on Grief, one of the stages is Anger. Jesus is not offended by the sisters’ anger. In fact, He leans into it, and laments with their pain. Praise God that our Lord accepts all of our pain and grief.
It’s been 5 days for me as a new mom. I am expressing praise and pain to God as I write this. When God showed me His plan this year is for me to start a family, I hesitated.
So many emotions flowing through my body and mind.
My heart is filled with so much joy and love as I stare at my newborn.
Then as I looked into the mirror, I lament and grieve over my old and former plans, saying goodbye to my old self as God is molding me more into His plans as a mother.
Less of me.
More of Him.
❤️
Prayers for you in your grief. We mourn with you and are so deeply sorry for your loss.
Amen
This devotion is so perfect for my hurting, weary heart. I’m a teacher, and this past week just about did me in. The stress is overbearing for all. I’m grieving the relationships with my students that are strained due to hybrid schedules, masks, social distancing, and anxiety for all. My classroom is supposed to be a safe place, a haven, a place of peace for students. It is such a struggle to maintain this atmosphere for them in the midst of my own exhaustion and stress. The reminder that my laments are not only acceptable but invited and seen as an act of worship is easing to my soul tonight. Thank you!
I am someone who feels things deeply, when someone else is going through something it hurts me, grieves my heart ❤️. Most of my life I have been made to feel bad or weak for this, until I learned that this ability is a gift from God. Now I embrace how I was created to mourn with those who are mourning.
Expressing both praise and pain to God is worship. God desires to be near us at all times and in all circumstances. What a God we serve!
This! “expressing both praise and pain to God is worship.” Never thought of it this way.
Lament as a type of worship. I never thought of it that way.
I love what Patti said about lamenting as another form of worship. My 32 year old son died 3 years ago and I continue to grieve and lament. I didn’t realize that it was a spiritual discipline and this study is helping me walk through it with so much more understanding and more scriptures to help me see God in the middle of the pain. Thank-you!
T, thank you for your kind words. I share your sentiment. Someday there will be a heavenly meeting of all SRT. Hugs all around! God bless you, T.
Lord i will bless your name at all times!
No words,
This is a much needed lesson. I want to cry put but then think to myself, i must have faith what would God think????? But He tells us we can cry put fwith questions!
Some of my closet feeling moments with God have been when I’m desperate. This lesson was a good reminder that Jesus wept even though he understood the bigger picture. He cares about it what we care about because we care about it and he cares for us. Truly feeling comforted today knowing we can cry out to God and he welcomes us to shout out our breakdowns to him. He wants our truth not our forced positivity or an act.
Definitely never knew anything about lamenting and I see it is a powerful part of faith. He welcomes us to do this. It isn’t always joy or down a straight path and He wants us to bring the questions, tears, and sorrow.
When we are numb by overwhelming pains, when we are in shock because of pain, our tears and crying (lamenting) turn into non-verbal prayers to the Lord. God keeps track of all my sorrows, He collects our tears in his bottle (Psalm 56:8). At times when I can’t put into words to pray, simply numb and maxed out of all my capacity, I just utter “Lord have mercy”. And God comes, just like that. As always Lord, lead us not into temptations and deliver us from the evil one. Let your will on earth be done as it is in Heavens. Let peace and love and full joy reign in my heart, soul and mind now on earth as it is in Heavens. Come and calm the raging storms within. Lord give us beauty for ashes. Restore for us the years that the locusts have destroyed. Lord, please have mercy and give us victory for your name’s sake. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
A big, much needed reminder that our weakness is God’s strength.
This is so so important. Not to always have a brave face, but to be honest with Jesus. On our knees or with tears. Complete openness is what he wants from us
It’s so comforting to know that Jesus truly cares about our pain and struggles, and that he weeps with us. May I always remember that as I struggle and go through hard times. We aren’t alone. I also pray that I can weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.
Praying over these laments this afternoon. Heidi, I really appreciated your insight this morning.
. . . .
As I was reading this devotion, I realized I’ve never thought of lament being an act of worship. But then I thought “how KIND it is of God to encourage us to express our true emotions in relationship with Him.” He knows anyway. But He could expect us to suck it up and put on a fake smile before we go before Him. But He doesn’t ask that of us. And not only that, but Jesus willingly wrestled with the struggles and ugliness of death and sorrow and beat it for us. So He understands our struggles just as intimately—if not more so—as we do. God gets down in our struggles with us. I am just continually amazed at God’s kindness.
Amen Churchmouse. Aligning myself in prayer with you
Much needed reminder. ❤️ Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
I’m sorry for some of the spelling and unusual words above. When I try to correct things on my phone, it decided to post it as is. The end part should have said, though I spend my time crying as I read, it becomes a very precious and restorative time.
Over the past few years, I have become acquainted with lamenting is a spiritual discipline. I most always read scripture orally. I remember doing the study and Jeremiah this last year, and reading it out loud. And when I did I could not only hear Jeremiah’s heart, but Gods. I didn’t went on several times to read Lamentations allowed, I could not help but Lament Uber our nation. My most recent readings have been in the book up habakkuk. Do I spend my. time crying as I read, it becomes a very precious and restorative time. I’m very grateful for this devotion today
Thank you your comment. I found your perspective so helpful.
God is still in control. He sees the bigger picture and wants eternal life for all of us. This quote has been helpful to me, “The wisdom of God tells us that God will bring about the best possible results, by the best possible means, for the most possible people, for the longest possible time.” Trust in His promises. He loves all of us equally which is hard for me to wrap my human brain around. God hears all of our prayers. But He answers them in His timing.
I’m so thankful for SRT and this gathering of sisters. I’m moved by all that is shared here. There is so much wisdom, sincerity, worship, and lamenting that is shared here. I thank you all for sharing your trials and suffering with me. There are too many names to share, but I am praying with you. God has brought up names to me over the months I’ve been studying with you, and I pray, just like many of you have prayed. I’m just so thankful for all of you who make this group of sisters possible. Continuing to keep my eyes heavenward during all the world is going through.
I never thought of lament as a place of worship as well because we are turning to God with our pain. I feel like this is bringing so much freedom in my life!
This is so good. I feel like the modern church is so focused on staying positive and always proclaiming the good in the situation, but some situations are really hard to just look to the good! I believe God wants to walk with us through grief and loss, and he reminds us we’re not alone in that. Lament is just another opportunity to grow closer to God in sharing our hearts with him, and depend on God to fill us up.
Love this ❤️❤️
This was a good one for me today as I continue to struggle with my husband’s passing a little over a year ago. I’m not asking why as much anymore because I trust that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Instead I hold on to Psalm 71:12 as I struggle through the many many tears. “God do not be far from me; my God, hurry to help me.” I’m praying for all of you ladies as you lament. May the peace of God be with you.
I feel like most of 2020 was a lament with our church family and 2021 has begun that way. Sorrowfully praying and weeping with people, for people; seeking God’s soothing of broken heart, restoration of relationships and His Presence in new life and loves. We praise God for being with us up the struggled paths of pain and suffering and walking with us down to the valleys. We worship Him because He is good all the time.
Church mouse, AMEN.
Nads, Sometimes I feel similar fear. Thank you for posting.
When I first started reading what Patti wrote I saw myself as the person she was comforting, having gone through it. I now know what family and friends felt with me at my side. Thank you Patti for that insight. But I have to say what really hit home and will stick with me is her last paragraph. “Let’s be clear: expressing both praise and pain to God is worship. Whether we are joyfully raising our hands or sorrowfully turning our tear-streaked faces toward Him, we are seeking God and engaging in genuine relationship with our Creator.” This makes me feel more at ease when I cry over the lose of both my son and my niece because I know they are in Heaven. Lamenting is something we all do at some point or another but what over and how is what I think is the most important part of it.
Sisters be blessed today bring your praises and laments to the Lord in praise today and everyday so as not to worry. Amen.
Love this old hymn❤️ Singing it just now after your post Julie, it means even more in light of today’s Lament SRT study. Thank you sweet sister in Christ
@Nads Amen!!! I felt the same fear and am choosing to trust God and see His faithfulness right in the midst of everything right along with you!!! I SO appreciate your honesty, it’s helping me, encouraging me and making me feel like I’m NOT alone!!! THANK YOU sister!!! ❤️
la·ment
/ləˈment/
Learn to pronounce
noun
a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.
“his mother’s night-long laments for his father”
Similar:
wail
wailing
lamentation
moan
moaning
groan
weeping
crying
sob
sobbing
keening
howl
complaint
jeremiad
ululation
verb
mourn (a person’s loss or death).
“he was lamenting the death of his infant daughter”
I feel that I have been lamenting to God since my relationship with Him stared. I lamented over my past. I lament over my son’s illness. My mother’s death. She was alone. Over my divorce. So much pain that is somewhat constant. I have been on my knees in agony. God is the comfort I seek. I have not experienced guilt over this. How would I get through with out Him?
I feel He did not hear the prayers of so many Christians that prayed, declared and decreed a victory in the White House. I covet your prayers as I have doubts about my prayers being heard. i know in my heart He hears and answers prayers…. It’s my head I have to deal with…or perhaps vice versa… so unsure right now… please pray for me.
“Hit enter while thinking of how lament feels in words”.
Still waiting for the words to come. Sorry for strangeness in my wording.
♡ emotion is hard to paint with words. It is felt deep within. Music on ocean waves of
Appreciate these comments and this reading today. I too am lamenting for the state of our country and the losses from COVID. How good of God to let us express our pain to Him, and then help us through it , bringing us peace and assurance ( in time ). SRT did a series called “Mourning and Dancing” a little over a year ago when my elderly Mom was failing and near death. It was just so helpful and they also had a couple of podcasts on it. I would just encourage anyone needing more understanding of this topic to go back to read more and listen to the podcast.
Praying for Angela and Lisa today.
Thank You for this wonderful read. What a heart and mind soothing comfort to us as we all travel this road of chaos and sadness right now.
Thank you, so many of you for the exact words of my heart. It’s a new idea in a way, that ‘lamenting’ is a form of worship – I always felt a little guilty questioning, complaining, yelling, giving Him the cold shoulder. Nope, nothing about me is a surprise to him, and I need to drop that bucket of guilt I continue to open up and look back into. Prayer that I am successful!!
Jesus is near the broken hearted. He is with us. He promised us He would never leave us or forsake us and I believe Him. Just yesterday I was thinking about when my daddy passed away. He was by himself. None of us were there when he took his last breath and that thought broke me. But I also know when my daddy took his last breath here on this earth, he was with Jesus. My daddy loved Jesus! Even though painful it brings me comfort. 
I could only read a few of the comments this morning as I am running behind. Angela Turney Scantland, thank you for sharing. I am so sorry for your loss and will be praying for you and your family. Jesus wept, always makes me weep, as it shows the heart of our Lord when He sees our sorrow. Thank you SRT, so good to hear that worship is found also in our laments. For God wants us to bring our grief before Him to hold us as we lament and be our refuge. Hugs to all of you who are grieving, lean in to the open and everlasting arms of our Father.
Lament is the practice of bringing grief, complaint, and sorrow to God. I have done this numerous times and had felt Him soothe me with songs. Going back to read through the Psalms mentioned, very much needed. ❤️
Reminder to bring all our troubles to God. He will restore our strength physically and emotionally. Our God is so so good.
Churchmouse, I believe we are similar in age, beliefs, and have other commonalities—and wish we could sit together, sipping tea and joining together in prayer and conversation. Although I do not comment, your words and thoughts often echo my own. Today is no different.
So good!! ❤️❤️❤️
❤️
From reading this post I recognize we are
ALL in a season of lament in our entire world. The question is what do we do with this pain and where do we turn? God is doing a work behind all this pain and we must praise him as he refines us all individually and as a world. I have to trust him and praise him because behind the chaos he is doing something and while we feel like Martha and Mary wondering why the Lord isn’t here he is doing a work in us in the waiting. One of the works is we encourage and point each other to Christ just as we are doing on this platform, so once again thank you to SRT for providing it and for each of your posts that are so helpful each day.
NVM as I read on I see where It says that
I’m so sorry for your loss, and the difficulty in watching your child suffer. My heart is with you this morning, from a tiny island in Washington♥️
What does lament mean?
Expressing both pain and praise is worship. I love this
We are never alone in every season of our lives. ❤️
The old hymn “What a Friend we have in Jesus” came to mind.. so, so good! What a friend we have in Jesus All our sins and GRIEFS to bear. What a PRIVILEGE to carry,
Everything to God in prayer. Oh what peace we often forfeit Oh what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer. CAN WE FIND A FRIEND SO FAITHFUL Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer.
❤️
Three months ago our first grandchild was stillborn at 39 weeks because of a placenta abruption during labor. The pain and grief are indescribable. I have never been in such deep anguish and darkness. Lament has given me the language to express my anger, disappointment, sorrow and doubts and process the pain with Truth which has grown my trust of and in God. It helps give me His perspective and helps me focus on Him instead of my emotions and circumstances. I have never had so many questions of whyGod? How could you do this? Etc but I have also never felt more connected to God and lament has been a big part of that.
God is our Provider and because He knew that trauma and all the pain and loss that comes with it was going to be the result of Adam and Eves sin He gave lament as a gift to help us deal with the brokenness of this world and remind us that the day is coming when He will wipe away every tear and there will be no more pain and no more sorrow. Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Such a good reminder that God wants control over my even emotion, even the ones we view as “negative.” How freeing to be able to come to Him with anything!
Lord we thank you.
He wants all of us. The real parts. It’s so beautiful.
“He welcomes lament. And God doesn’t merely allow such soul-wrenching wrestling-He invites it.” What a good good Father. I was in tears as I read this…he welcomes my joy, my pain, my sorrow, my questions…ALL OF IT. What a God…what a refuge!
Lately I have found myself feeling angry about all the loss people are experiencing now, about how COVID is taking people away from their loved ones, the desperate prayer requests that too often are ending with “my (fill in the blank) went to be with Jesus tonight.” I have felt grief and anger as I watch old age and infirmity affect my parents, and as dementia steals the memories & vitality of my aunt and uncle. I know God is loving, protecting, and providing as He always has & will, but my heart has been hurting & heavy. I read these Scriptures with anticipation & relief. I am so thankful that Jesus wept … so thankful we are invited to bring our grief, confusion, anger & pain to Him. He loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and He loves me. Angie, thank you for your comment – it encouraged me.
When my father died I cried out to God and asked him why he took him. He was young (47) years old. I even told Him I hated him, but I know that He understood that I was hurting. I spent many days crying out to Him and I know He gave me peace to move on. I repented for telling Him I hated Him. I know He knew I didn’t mean it. I am so glad that we serve an amazing God that can take our pain away and will be there for us always. ❤️
Oh Patti, how I needed your words on this very day! Thank you.
@Karen, SOOO beautiful…what a loving Daddy is our Lord! How wonderful it is to feel truly seen by Him and attended to individually. May God continue to comfort your family’s hearts re: grandma.
@ERB – I think we do the same, this sense that “God is always faithful” and I will wait to see it when things improve/resolve rather than seeing His faithfulness right inside the pain/struggle…reminds me of Kirk Franklin’s “Blessing in the Storm” and (I don’t remember the artist who sings about “mercies in disguise).
What’s SOOOO SAD is that, as I type these words, I feel a spirit of FEAR rising up in me, saying I am giving God permission to allow me to be wounded and as such, I should delete it, as though the thoughts never came….I will not! I choose to trust You Lord!!
These passages and words are such a reminder to me that God wants me, us, exactly where we are. There can be such a stigma of “fix it first, then come to Jesus..” and it’s an enormous (albeit successful) lie the enemy has spread though our churches and communities. If I’m broken? He wants me then. If I’m in the midst of celebration and success? He wants me then. If I’m angry, hurt, disappointed? He wants me then. I’ve had those moments- moments where I have turned to him and literally cursed out loud at Him because “how dare you, who do You think You are??!” And I always come back when I REALIZE Who exactly He is. And He welcomes me both times as equally.
It’s like a marriage. When there is a lot of fighting, words being thrown AT each other more than WITH each other, it’s a sign there is brokenness and the relationship needs some healing/understanding. But the scariest, most damaging part comes when there is no more fighting. No communication at all. You’ve stopped believing your words will have any affect or purpose. That’s when the relationship is dead. I’m so grateful He wants me to communicate everything. And He wants to stick with me to workout whatever needs to be worked out. Because in the end, He’s good. He’s available. He’s listening. He’s not going anywhere. He is just much too invested and too in love with His people to be any different.
❤️
Read this with tears streaming. Thankful He is strong and faithful and true even as I press in to questions and doubts and fear. He turns my mourning into dancing. Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy! Praise Him!!!
❤️
❤️
Over the past year I have been walking through the loss of a 22 year marriage. Lament has been my theme. I am so grateful for the comfort God has given me and continues to give me through the many, many tears. God allowed me to share every emotion with him from anger to grief to relief. He is working with me now on worry and loneliness. I don’t know how I would have survived if I felt unable to take it ALL to God. He absolutely carried me. I am so grateful for the Psalms because it was there I found so much comfort and peace. I always tell my kids to take it all to God… He can handle the anger, the questions, the frustrations just as much as he can handle the praise and joy. To any of you going through what I have been through I see you… I am weeping with you… go to the Psalms to find God right where you are.
There are no coincidences. This is the 3rd time in a week that I’ve heard/read the Lazarus story. A devotional last Saturday, then sermon on Sunday, now this morning’s reading. My dear grandmother passed away this week after a long battle with cancer and the Lord keeps whispering this story to me both before and after her passing. Jesus knows and feels our pain and lament. I texted my dad this morning (he’s a minister). He said this passage is in his meditation for her memorial service tomorrow. 4 times in one week, the week of a great loss. I’m blown away. I shouldn’t be, but still am overwhelmed by God’s grace and mercy.
This study appeared to me at the right timing in my prayer life. The power in God’s word, the reflections, and shared fellowship are gifts. I praise the Lord for sending you onto my path.
The great love of our God continues to wash over me.
The sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick. They knew Jesus could heal him. Scripture states that because he loved them, he waited 2 more days. Lazarus needed to die. Upon arrival, Martha, (strong like always) meets Jesus, confirms her faith, and they talk “Christianese:” (spiritual talk that brings comfort to the saved, but that lost do not always understand). Then Mary goes to Jesus, with some other people all weeping. And, Jesus weeps. He wept for the pain of those he loved. He understood death. Death warranted weeping. He knew he was about to do battle with it. He also knew, he would defeat death once, for us all.
Jesus loved Martha in her being strong, and in her questioning (Lord, he stinketh). Jesus loved Mary in her broken-hearted weeping. Jesus loves us when we are young, vibrant, and full of life-Jesus loves us when we are old and our strength fails-and in ALL the in-between times. His love surrounds and draws us fully to him. Praise God, I bear witness to all of these. God, in 3 persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit loves completely, as we are. He is our joy. He is our Rock. He is our peace and comfort. I am, we are, humbled and thankful.
Especially loved this devotion & readings. We are not alone in our lament. ❤️
@Amy Donselaar-Noort “Expressing both praise and pain to God is worship” also STOOD out to me!!
For me, I often-times focus on how God is GOING to be FAITHFUL that I forget to lament what I’m actually going through… and I think this steals something, (an intimacy) away from both me and God. Almost everyday I think to myself “all creation groans and awaits the glory of God” but until this morning it never really struck me that what creation was doing was pouring out their hearts in WORSHIP!!! Wow!!! Such an Ah-Ha! and Duh! moment for me!!
Lord, please help me to express my deepest groanings AS I am experiencing them and help me to give them to You with a worshipful and expectant heart. Amen
Yes, I too wrote that down in my book. And that God doesn’t just allow lament, but that he invites it. For in our lament we are reaching out to connect with our God, who meets us there. Jesus meets us, grieves with us but then brings healing. Amen and thank you, Jesus.
This really struck me and i am grateful God led me to your site. I have been troubled regarding my mother’s lost faith and want to help her reconnect with God maybe this will restore her faith.
I have often lamented over how far our nation has drifted from the high ideals of our founding fathers. It grieved me to watch the riot at the Capitol building as it grieved me to watch the riots across the US this entire past year. I have limited my exposure to the news and increased time in prayer for it is only by a mighty move of God that this nation will find healing. Father God, turn hearts to You. Turn weapons into plowshares. Be merciful in Your discipline. May we humble ourselves and seek Your face.
Amen Amy! This stood out to me too!
“Expressing both praise and pain to God is worship.” Such a profound truth and so easily forgotten… I am really moved by this series.