Lament

“How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”

PSALM 13:1 (NIV)

●  LOVE GOD

What if you could bring God the hard things too?

When it comes to prayer, many of us will present a front or a facade before God. We want our lives to be a certain way, and we want our prayers to be a certain way.

Lament is a type of prayer focused on bringing the hard things in life before God. That question you wish you weren’t asking, that anger that doesn’t seem to go away, that area of grief that feels like it’s holding you down. These are just a few examples of the hurt and pain all of us carry, but struggle to turn to God with.

THE PRACTICE

Naming what hurts

Many Psalms hold pieces of lament, and we know that God himself already knows the struggles, doubts, and questions we carry. This kind of prayer, then, is a chance to bring all these things into the light with God. The freedom of lament comes in sharing the difficulties with our Father, and asking him to shoulder the burdens and questions with us.

To practice lament, physically writing down the difficulties is often helpful. Write down the difficult things of life you have been avoiding. Do this with God, sharing with him where you are right now and where you are hurting. It’s okay and expected to feel the emotions that come up. Sadness, anger, and tears are all normal parts of lament.

RESOURCES

Companions for the journey

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy
Book by Mark Vroegop. A gentle guide to discovering the grace of lament.

Psalms of lament
A place to start: Psalm 13, Psalm 42, and Psalm 88.