Good Grief: Learning to Lament With JobSample

JOB SUFFERS

Job’s story in scripture is one we often associate with deep suffering and grief. And with good reason. He suffered a lot. The Bible tells us that Job was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil,” (Job 1:1). Yet Job loses everything. All of his livestock are either killed or stolen, his servants are killed, and a “great wind” killed all of his children. That wasn’t even all of it. Eventually, Job is stricken with extremely painful sores all over his body. His suffering was immense and unending. Job’s story shows that many different hardships and circumstances in life can lead us to grief. As was customary during that time, Job’s friends come to sit with him, and they did not even recognize him. His pain had changed his whole person. Initially, Job doesn’t speak out against God. But then it becomes too much to bear, and Job laments.

“Lament is how we learn to live between the poles of a hard life and God’s goodness. It is an opportunity to remind our hearts about God’s faithfulness in the past, especially when the immediate events of life are overwhelmingly negative,” (Mark Vroegop, "Deep Clouds, Dark Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament")

To practice Biblical lament is to turn to God in prayer. When the pain becomes too much and Job can’t handle it anymore, he “opened his mouth.” Job cries out to God questioning the very purpose of his life. How can one be born just to suffer this deeply?

Ask Yourself and Journal:

-What does Job 1:1 teach me about suffering?

-What pain/grief/loss do I need to open my mouth about and bring to God?

Pause to Pray: God, I am hurting. (Insert situation) is causing me pain and suffering. I don’t understand why this is happening. I feel…..