To lament, we:

Remind God of His Motivation. We do this by calling on His promises and characteristics of God from Scripture. Remind Him of why your request is one that aligns with His will.

Why should God answer your prayer? At the core of this component of lament is this question. The first time I learned this, I honestly felt uncomfortable. I asked questions like “God, why do I need to motivate or convince you to do good things for me? Aren't I your child? Aren't you a good father who cares about us?” Even in my questioning I missed the point. When we remind God of why He should do certain things for us, we are really reminding ourselves of the character of God. We are reminding ourselves of who God is, forcing us to reevaluate who and what informs us about who God is. Where did I learn that God was a good father? From the Bible. Where did I learn that I was a child of God? From Scripture.

This practice of reminding God of His promises as a motivation for why He should show up for us is not really about convincing God. It’s really about gaining the perspective that if He said it, it will happen, even if it hasn't happened yet. It often helps us see that He's already shown up for us or is in the middle of it at the moment.

If we ask God to draw near to us because He said He’d never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), then He's already present. Our requests can be reframed to “God, help me to experience your nearness." Motivation helps us to reframe what we long for God to do for us through what He said He would do for us. It reminds us of our birthright. It reminds us of what we will undoubtedly receive because His word won't return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). Did you catch it? That was me practicing the component of motivation.

God wants you to remember who He is. He wants you to see how the desires of your heart align with the promises He has for you. He wants you to know that He is just as deeply invested in your experience of peace, belonging, and joy as you are. Until you dig and discover the truth of who He is, you won’t know that for yourself.

What Scriptures support the promises of God and the characteristics of who He is that provide evidence for why He should honor your request?

Application:

1. Call on God using the sentence from week 1: “ _________, You are here.”
2. Make your complaint clear to God.
3. Make your request to God.
4. Share what His motivation should be for honoring your request.