Lament, Finding a Path for Your Griefনমুনা

Part 4: Expression of Trust or Praise

“The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart” (Psalm 10:16-17)

It is easy to believe that many people are stuck in complaint mode when they address God. However, various Psalms show that suffering can also lead to trust, and that songs of sorrow can offer a way from complaint to confidence in the Lord. That does not come automatically. It is a choice of faith to recommit ourselves to believe in God even though our difficulties are not resolved. By doing this, we are “preaching to ourselves”, which can be defined as “self-consciously and intentionally reminding ourselves of the person, presence, and provisions of our Redeemer.” This can be the final step that concludes our lament and turns it into a statement of trust and faith.

This is not to say that this is a step we take only once! We may need to enter into lament over and over again to travel the path emotionally from pain to trust. Songs of sorrow usually aren’t perfectly structured and eloquent. On the contrary, our prayers often reflect the inner turmoil we experience. And that’s totally acceptable! If you read the Psalms carefully, you’ll also notice that the various elements of lament can be repeated and mixed up as people pour out their hearts before God.

Do your prayers contain an element of trust or praise? Could you make it a habit to add this to your complaints and requests?