One of my favorite Old Testament professors once shared this startling statistic: 40 percent of the psalms in the Bible are songs of lament in which the authors present their heartache and pain to God. But in the catalog of modern worship music, only 5 percent of songs could be considered lament, even by the most generous standards. My prof believes that part of the reason we don’t know how to lament is because modern worship tends to focus more on celebration and less on lamentation.
In addition to this possibility, we often lack an understanding of what true lament is—the nature of which is revealed in Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39,42,44). There He experienced a life-crushing sorrow as He considered the brutal events of Good Friday that awaited Him (Matthew 27:26-35). But the sorrow itself isn’t the lament. Jesus’ lament began when “He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me’ ” (Matthew 26:39). So it isn’t simply the experience of suffering. Lament involves consciously bringing our pain before God and spending time in His loving, compassionate presence.
So often I fail to go “a little farther” when I’m in the midst of a season of suffering. I brood over my hurt and my pain, imagining that it’s the same thing as godly lament. But for me to truly lament, I have to bring the hurt and pain before the presence of my Father, facing my situation in light of His power and mercy. And when I do this, I experience deep comfort knowing that I’m no longer holding on to my pain, but casting it before Jesus who cares for me! (1 Peter 5:7).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Genesis 28:10-22
More:
Read Psalm 22:1-5 for an example of both the heartache and hopefulness that are part of lament.
Next:
Do you hear much about lament in your local church? When was the last time you truly lamented and brought your pain before God? What changed when you did?
godlove on January 18, 2017 at 3:06 am
Very interesting thought-provoking piece, Peter. I realise that I have very rarely (if ever) heard about lament at our local church. I also can’t think of a time when I have truly come before God lamenting over a painful situation. I’m not too sure about whether I’m doing it right or not, but each time when I am hurting I tend to be fatalist about the situation. Exactly like you said, I brood over my hurt but knowing that I am powerless in changing the situation, I simply lift it up to God’s care and pray that He takes control of everything in my place. Almost like Jesus said in His prayer, “Lord, if this situation has happened, You know best why You let it happen, let Your Will be done”. It’s never easy, but it provides great comfort to surrender the pain unto Him. Thank you Peter, blessings to you and to everyone on here.
gagirllive on January 18, 2017 at 8:25 am
No mention of it in my local church either, godlove. Sounds like a lost art to me…one that we should get back to discovering, don’t you think? Much grace and peace to you, dear brother.
Tom Felten on January 18, 2017 at 8:34 am
Agreed, godlove. We need to spend more time in lament when we’re gathered together with other believers. Not forced or manufactured, but genuine lament. It’s truly part of living out a genuine faith and allowing God by His Spirit to comfort and restore us.
Monica Brands on January 18, 2017 at 8:51 am
I agree, godlove, this is an emphasis we desperately need regained in the church. I’ve seen this start to be talked about, but I’ve only been in a few churches that actually practice it. I’ve actually wondered if the loss of lament in the American church in particular is part of why so many (esp. young people) are leaving — praise can feel artificial /forced if God’s people aren’t equally in touch with the suffering of ourselves and the world God came to save. A favorite prof of mine when talking about lament would emphasize that true Christian hope comes from the ashes–otherwise it’s not distinctly Christian hope, but shallow optimism.
corgimom on January 18, 2017 at 5:44 am
What a timely piece! I suffer from clinical depression which seems to be cyclical, recurring in about 10 year cycles. Recently I have been suffering from it for over two years and finally went for counseling, only to learn that if it doesn’t lift within six months, it is termed “persistent” and requires medication. During the past two years I have often prayed that God would lift the depression but I know I did not really “lament”, which to me means I realize deep inside that I am powerless over my circumstances and that God has a plan, has my best interests, can be trusted to handle even my worst circumstances, and best of all, He understands my deepest feelings. Please pray for me, friends, as I begin the process of rebuilding my (normally) positive self and my faith, which has suffered during the past two “hopeless” years. Blessings!
gagirllive on January 18, 2017 at 8:20 am
I am praying for you, corgimom. Jesus loves you and holds you close.
Tom Felten on January 18, 2017 at 8:31 am
corgimom, thanks so much for sharing. May God fill your heart with life and light today. Praying for you!
Monica Brands on January 18, 2017 at 9:01 am
Corgimom, thank you so much for sharing, and I am so sorry for your suffering. Mental illness is one of the areas of deepest suffering in folks’ lives, but (like lament) still rarely discussed openly in the church. I’m so grateful that it sounds like God has brought into your life a wise counselor who understands depression and effective treatment for it. I’ve had friends whose depression worsened due to false beliefs that they should wait for God to cure them instead of seeking the aid (including counseling and medication) that God has provided through qualified doctors/counselors, so I’m so grateful you had the courage to seek help. I pray you will continue to find healing and support in your journey through this. Grace and peace to you.
gagirllive on January 18, 2017 at 9:04 am
Corgimom, I’m not one to throw Bible verses at people who are hurting, but this one keeps coming to mind as I pray for you. It has comforted my own heart many times as I have entered the darkness of depression. It’s Isaiah 63: 9…”In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them.” I pray that you can hold onto that, beloved.
bperez on January 18, 2017 at 9:28 am
corgimom,
i too am praying for you. i’ve been there before. i asked the “Holy Spirit” to intercede in prayer in Jesus name, Amen. Nothing is impossible with the Lord, “Thy Will be done”.
godlove on January 19, 2017 at 1:38 am
I’m praying for you, corgimom. Our hope is in the Lord. Blessings to you.
gagirllive on January 18, 2017 at 8:14 am
Wow, Peter. You’ve pulled out something beautifully convicting to me from this passage. I never realized how easy it is to fall just shy of a true lamentation. I have no problem in pouring out my complaint before God, but I see that I sometimes stop right there. It’s easy to just unload it and not look back at it in light of His power and mercy. I have to go deeper into Gethsemane—“a little farther”—to complete the lamentation, don’t I? I can see this in the Psalms, as you mentioned. David was especially good at this. He poured out His anguished heart and soul before the LORD, but he always concluded with a “BUT God” moment. He found comfort as he resolved himself to the goodness of God to work things out in His perfect way and timing. I think Psalm 13 is a great example of this. But our precious Lord Jesus perfectly modeled how we are to lament before the Father. I’m so thankful He went “a little farther” as He resolved Himself to do the Father’s will. Going farther allowed Him to experience not only the comfort and strength He needed for that moment and the grueling hours that lay ahead of Him, but also for the joy set before Him. The Father showed Him the light at the end of that very dark tunnel of suffering. That’s what God wants me to see too, I believe. If I go “a little farther” with God, joy does come in the morning. Okay, Peter. You’ve given me a new catch phrase. 🙂 Thanks for this encouragement today, brother. It really blessed me. Grace and peace, everyone.
Tom Felten on January 18, 2017 at 8:42 am
GG, love the thoughts you shared. Yes, those “BUT god” moments in the psalms are powerful and comforting. They remind me to remember all the amazing things that God has done throughout history and in my own personal history—things that provide faith-strengthening hope and perspective when the day has been filled with pain, sorrow, lament. He meets us in the valley and points us to the heavens.
gagirllive on January 18, 2017 at 8:52 am
Amen and amen! “He meets us in the valley and points us to the heavens.” That’s rich, Tom! I’m hanging onto that one, brother. 🙂
Monica Brands on January 18, 2017 at 9:12 am
Really helpful insights, GG. I also think many people try to skip straight to the “but God” moment, and avoid “sitting” in the lament for as long as they need to — which percentage wise fills up much more of those psalms. (And 40 percent is actually a conservative estimate for how much of the psalms are lament. Depending on how you classify them, up to 70% are!) If we skip/lightly “skim” the lament because we think it’s more “Christian” to focus on “but God,” and whip our emotions into feeling the same way :), we will miss God’s healing and grace reaching us from within our pain so that we actually mean it when we praise God for His goodness, power, and restoring hand. (I get a little passionate about this :), because it breaks my heart meeting so many believers who feel guilty or ashamed when they have agony or doubt or ongoing deep depression, and think they aren’t allowed to feel that way). I think you articulate beautifully what it means to fully live into both pain (which Paul says we share with Christ’s sufferings) and the hope that comes from God’s resurrection.
gagirllive on January 18, 2017 at 9:43 am
So true, Monica! Very good point. We do need to sit a while in the lament to allow the Balm of Gilead to BEGIN His healing. But I stress the word “begin” because it does not reach its fullness, I believe, until we have that “BUT God” moment. We can’t camp out indefinitely in rehearsing our troubles to God, but we do need to let the lament have its cleansing effect upon our emotions so that God can begin His healing work. Sometimes it’s hard to find that balance. We either try to keep our gaping wounds covered, or we’re picking at the scab. We are people of extremes, aren’t we? Appreciate your insights here, Monica.