“As Christians, when we lose lament we lose more than the journey of a full human experience . . . we lose the depth and goodness of the gospel.”- Walter Brueggeman, Psalmist’s Cry: Scripts for Embracing Laments
Esther Fleece concludes Chapter 6 of No More Faking Fine with a reminder. God welcomes, honors, and hears our honest laments. Thus, even when we see no relief in sight, we put our trust in a God who hears.
Yes, we all want to see a happy ending to our adversity. But that’s not necessarily the best pathway to healing. Ms. Fleece explains:
“While we all want a happy ending — or maybe we can agree to lament as long as we’re assured God will clean up everything afterward — there are no guarantees on this side of eternity. We must stop saying, and thinking, things like, ‘It’s time to move on.’ There is no healing in hurrying through grief . . . no restoration in ignoring pain. Rather, healing can be found when we learn to lament honestly.”
Even unanswered “why” laments, the author observes, teach us how to expectantly wait for the Father’s will. In our distress, God blesses us with closeness to Him.
In conclusion, lament gives us a language to relate to God in the midst of evil. Also, lamenting means we surrender to God’s sovereignty. Yet, even in the darkest of moments, we put our hope in the Lord of the resurrection. In the full scope of history, only Jesus has the last word.
Today’s question: During your desert, transition time, have there been times when you seem to lose lament? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “How long, Lord?- a powerful prayer of hope”
