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Remembering the Sacredness of Lament
How often in our prayer lives do we present God with the best of us? How often do we bury the anger or confusion we feel because we’re afraid we can’t get that real with God? One thing that we can be certain of when it comes to our Father is that He welcomes and even longs for our whole hearts—the good, the bad, and the ugly.
When we talk about cultivating hope, lament may sound counterproductive. But the beautiful thing about lament is that it births hope. We see examples of this kind of holy lament sprinkled all throughout scripture, and a whole book, Lamentations, dedicated to lament alone! When we honestly open our hearts and allow ourselves space to lament, we come before God with no false pretenses, just raw honesty. It may not be pretty or even easy, but it is an honest offering of the reality of our souls. And it is what Jesus asks us for.
In Matthew, He invites us to lay down our weariness at His feet as the only true way of finding peace and rest. When we are able to put our sorrows in God’s capable hands, He promises to revive our hearts with rest and peace. It’s through this peace that we can scatter seeds of hope once again, in a soil that is irrigated with God’s healing and promise.
Pray:
Jesus, sometimes this world is heavy, and it all feels to be too much. With the sickness, injustice, loss, and hatred that exist in the world, it is hard to truly cling onto hope. It’s hard not to feel weighed down by the world. But Lord, I know you are in control. You are holding the world in your hands. You are not far from the grieving. You hold the tears of the broken-hearted. There is no pain we feel that you are not acquainted with. I pray that I would remember this truth when I am in the midst of grief. I pray that I would accept your invitation to lay my burdens at your feet. Wounded Healer, would you hold my heart when I pour it out to you? Would you be so near when the shadows are closing in? Teach me to come to you with my authentic heart, that I may make space for your healing.
Amen.
About this Plan
In a broken world, it’s hard to cling to hope at the best of times. It’s even harder in seasons of pain. But the beautiful thing about the hope of Jesus is that it’s not contingent on what happens in this world. This hope is already ours. This four-day plan will help you explore practical ways to cling to and share hope with your neighbors, even in times of uncertainty.
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