March 13: The Value of Lament.

Yesterday we look at sorrow in the book of Psalms; how can that be that God incorporates anguished cries into worship, especially when the Good Book also tells us to rejoice always? Those are actually two questions, first, about how to understand rejoicing always and lamenting:

I suggest that the rejoicing and the lamenting are specific, as in, they are rejoicing ABOUT and lamenting ABOUT something else. For instance, if someone came up to you saying, “I’m so EXCITED!” you might ask, “About what?!” If they responded, “Oh, I don’t know, just excited.” you and I might both think that person a little odd - sorrow and rejoicing are responsive to stimuli. If applying this to our questions from yesterday, we could make sense of the seemingly incompatible by celebrating ‘various trials’ without being glad ABOUT sin (for instance). Simultaneously, we rejoice ABOUT the fact that our Shepherd brings good from the fangs of most ferocious of trials and nothing can ever really be against us. I rejoice in Him, regardless. Also, Jesus and Paul looked ahead towards other things for their joy when suffering, I take this as a good example to follow (cf. 2 Cor. 4:16-18; Heb. 12:1-2).

Additionally, I think there are a few blessings which make lament important:

1. It tells the truth that this is not heaven. We will always be happy in heaven, but this isn’t heaven and we shouldn’t expect a life without loss (cf. 2 Cor. 5:1-5).

2. It can expose us to our thinking. It sounds odd, but often we don't really know our thoughts until sharing them with another. I have found much foolishness exposed in just listening to what I’m praying to God.

3. It tells the truth about ourselves. I had a friend confront me my freshman year of college for ‘being fake’ because I was always putting on a happy face. For everything there is a season, even expressing happiness. We are told to rejoice with certain people and weep with others. Lament has its place.

4. It uses the fullness of our experience in worship/prayer to God (brings it all before Him recognizing His sovereignty over it). God wants all of me, not just the parts I think presentable. He sees it anyway. Plus, we miss out on a God-given catalyst for prayer in neglecting lament. After all, who among us cannot relate to Jesus who being in ‘agony prayed more earnestly’ (Lk. 22:44)?

5. It provides healthy catharsis - Sometimes prayer or journaling liberates the emotion from festering in our soul and, because of the privacy of these things, avoids the the sometimes unwise public exposure of our tenderest spots. Elizabeth Elliot is right, “The things that we feel most deeply we ought to learn to be silent about, at least until we have talked them over thoroughly with God.” I think lament can help us get right to that.

So, when it comes to the joys you have or the pains, bring them to God and embrace what He may be doing in you. In fact, I think He'd like to have a word with you right now.

Go enjoy some prayer with Him.