Good Grief Part 4: Learning to Lament in LamentationsSample

THE SOURCE OF TRUE HOPE

Lament involves talking to God with gut-wrenching honesty about what is going on and how we feel about it, but it doesn’t stop there. Lament is incomplete if we don’t then hand that pain over to God and trust Him to lead us through it. As we learned in day two of this plan, every lament has a pivotal moment that shifts our attention from our mourning to God’s mercy. The pain doesn’t necessarily stop, and the situation isn’t necessarily resolved, but we begin to see hope again.

Lamentations 3:21-23 reveals one of these moments. Notice that it is nestled deep within his recounting of affliction, confusion, and pain. And notice that nothing in his situation has changed. He is essentially still standing in the smoldering ruins of Jerusalem, death and suffering all around him. And YET, he chooses to intentionally turn his attention and thoughts to the same God who has allowed that destruction.

Ask Yourself:

- What exactly is the author of Lamentations “calling to mind” in verse 21?

- What does this reveal about the source of true hope?

- What are some other places where you are tempted to seek hope in?

Pause to Pray: My faithful God, as the tasks and trials of today swirl around my thoughts, teach me to focus my attention on you. Forgive me for seeking help and hope in ________. Encourage my heart to find hope in You alone.

Living Lament: Redirecting our thoughts during hard situations is not easy! But the scriptures give us many examples that can help. Take some time to look up several lament transitions: ‘yet,’ ‘but,’ and ‘even so’. Write them out or even memorize a couple so that you have a starting point the next time you find yourself needing to refocus. Here are a few possibilities to get you started: Psalm 13:5; Psalm 31:14; Psalm 52:8; Psalm 71:14; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 102:12; Psalm 102:26-27; Habakkuk 3:17-19