Good Grief Part 4: Learning to Lament in LamentationsSample

WORTH THE WAIT

The book of Lamentations doesn’t end like the story of Job – nothing has been resolved or restored. The nation is still grieving. Questions are still unanswered. Restoration is not yet even on the horizon. We don’t tend to like that. We like resolution. We like to have a plan and take action.

But part of the wisdom of Lamentations is found in learning to wait on God. The arc of His story does not end in death, darkness, and despair. It ends in victory. In the meantime, the practice of lament teaches us to: talk to Him; express all the emotions and questions to Him; repent and seek forgiveness from Him; and then trust Him to be faithful to what He has promised.

Trust is confident expectation, faithful reliance; it almost always involves waiting. It means acknowledging that He is in control, and we are not. While we remain engaged in conversation with Him, we can stop striving, stop trying to figure it out, and let Him do His work. As we place our hope in Him and rest in His presence, we will find that His salvation is worth the wait.

Ask Yourself:

- What do you find most difficult about waiting on God?

- How do you think the practice of lament can help you find healing in that place?

Pause to Pray: Pray through Isaiah 40:27-31 as you wait on the Lord today.

Living Lament: Grab your journal! As we wrap up this week, spend a little time reflecting on things that God has taught you through seasons of waiting.

Continue your study of biblical lament with one of these whoisgrace reading plans:

Good Grief: Learning to Lament with Job

Good Grief: Learning to Lament in the Psalms

Good Grief: Learning to Lament with Jesus

Good Grief: Learning to Lament Your Sin

Find more resources at www.whoisgrace.com/READ.