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Referenced texts: Psalm 130, 6, 22, 38; Lamentations 1, 2, 3; Habakkuk; Job 3, 6, etc.; Isaiah 53, 57, 58; Matthew 4:23, 8:14-17
Summary: Many people experience times of darkness and despair- a ‘midnight of the soul’. This is a consequence of living in a world broken and thrown into chaos by the tyranny of sin. The Bible gives us a way of dealing with this… through lament.
The Bible itself is full of examples. In response to the darkness of evil and the pain evil produces, Scripture gives us prayers of lament.
Prayers of lament are an expression of faith. Here we speak honestly to God about our distress. We speak in broad and general terms about the darkness we experience. In lament we ask questions– not necessarily for the sake of getting an answer, but to express our pain.
And often these words of lament end with a note of praise– praise that God has heard the cry of the sufferer. Like Job, if we continue the path of worship in lament we will see the goodness of God.
The life of Christ relates directly to our distress. He took all our griefs and sorrows into His own experience. Because He bore our infirmities to the cross we can find healing and rest for our souls.
Jesus came to bring justice, to break the cords of evil; We are cooperators with Him in His healing work and resisting– in a proper way– evil in the world.
Four things to do when you experience despair and injustice… the path of holy lament:
- Identify your grief
- Turn to God with it
- Cry out to Him for help
- Worship
Hebrews 4:12 – 16… Jesus is able to receive our lament, and minister to us in our situation as One who has also suffered great suffering and anguish. And He can bring healing in our lives as we cry out to Him.
