Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament

by Mark Vroegop

Why Lament? We’ve covered a lot of ground through our journey. As we explore some practical applications, let me remind you why lament should be your prayer when grief—of any kind—becomes a part of your life: 1. It is a language for loss. Lament is the historic prayer language for hurting Christians. It provides a biblical vocabulary and a model for talking to God about our pain or helping those who are walking through suffering. 2. It is the solution for silence. Too many Christians either are afraid or refuse to talk to God about their struggles. Whether because of shame, a fear of rejection, anxiety, or a concern of being irreverent, pain can give rise to a deadly prayerlessness. Lament cracks the door open to talk to God again—even if it’s messy. 3. It is a category for complaints. Lament helps us see that complaining to God is not necessarily sinful. For hurting people, knowing that this expression of grief is a biblical and a God-given category can be a watershed moment. Vocalizing our pain or helping a friend express her heart is one of the life-giving aspects of lament. 4. It is a framework for feelings. This biblical song of sorrow is more than the sinful spewing of every emotion in your soul. Lament validates the expression of pain while providing a framework—a God-centered structure—so we avoid falling into the trap of self-centeredness, which can take root in times of deep sadness. Lament endorses expression, but only the kind with the right objective. 5. It is...

Good overview