Lately, I have found myself quite enjoying the habit of journaling out my prayers. The other day, I cracked open my journal, started writing out my prayer, and realized that although the words I had penned were not wrong, they were not entirely an honest depiction of my heart at that moment. What I failed to realize at that moment was that lament does not need to be antonymous with gratitude. I was writing solely what I thought God wanted to hear, not what I really wanted to tell him. I merely penned the words, “God, I pray that you would do this if it’s your will,” instead of additionally expressing the full extent of emotions I was experiencing associated with what I was praying about.
Putting on a facade of superficial happiness during times of sorrow or anxiety is extremely counterproductive and hinders intimacy with our God. Nevertheless, we have somehow convinced ourselves today that expressing lament is ungrateful or even wrong. Lament is biblical, for it reflects the source of our hope. To whom we lament shows where our hope and trust are placed. Therefore, lamenting to Christ shows that he is the ultimate source of our hope, joy, comfort, peace, and deliverance. Lament does not replace joy, but rather enables us to rest in the source of our joy amidst trials. We lament not solely because God is capable of providing immediate deliverance but because God has proven himself worthy of being approached with our greatest fears, while placing our complete dependence on him.
In fact, in scripture, there are more psalms of lament than there are of thanksgiving. Lament recognizes God’s sovereignty over our circumstances and his power to deliver if it is his will to do so. It also helps us recognize his goodness, even if the outcome of our circumstance is not what we would like. We know that “great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalm 147:5). Therefore, lamenting, when done biblically, is not a cry of ingratitude but rather a recognition of one’s dependency on and need for a God who has proven himself capable of providing deliverance.
David’s lament in Psalm 6 beautifully depicts the source of his hope. David opens the psalm by transparently expressing his emotions of lament and closes it by resting in the assurance that the Lord has heard his cry.
“Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.”
- Psalm 6: 2, 4 &7
“Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.”
- Psalm 6:8-9
David will forever be one of my favourite characters in the Bible, partially because of how his interactions with the Lord are so transparent and honest, demonstrating full dependence on God. Whether through genuine lament in Psalm 22, or taking complete responsibility for his sin through confession in Psalm 51, David lived a life of complete transparency and dependency on God. He was not afraid to speak with the Lord of his gut-wrenching emotions and fears while recognizing God’s sovereignty and goodness amidst his struggles.
For he recognizes that,
“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before [the Lord].”
- Psalm 22:27
Let us learn to lament well and recognize that lament when done Biblically, can be synonymous with humility, transparency, dependence, and thanksgiving. Biblical lament strengthens our relationship with God, reduces self-dependence, and frees our hearts to cast our anxieties on him and trust that he is in control.
Exodus 2 is yet another comforting reminder that God hears the cry of his people.
“And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel- and God knew.”
-Exodus 2:24-25
We are blessed to serve a God who hears our cries. The same God who saw Israel’s suffering under captivity to Egypt, who was with David through every battle, and who sent his own son to die for you, is a God who deeply cares for you and welcomes you to approach him with complete transparency. Don’t allow your fears or anxieties to hinder you from humbly approaching him with all that is in your heart. Let’s allow our hearts to overflow with joy and gratitude, reflecting on how blessed we are to serve a God who not only tolerates our lament but welcomes it.
“Cast all of your anxieties on him, for he cares for you.”
- 1 Peter 5:7
