Embracing Healing Through Lament and Praise

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Naming Our Pain

Healing begins when we honestly name the wounds within us—whether they are personal, communal, or spiritual. Like Jeremiah, who named the pain and sin of his people, we are called to look deeply into our own hearts and acknowledge the hurts, disappointments, and broken trust that weigh us down. This act of naming is not easy; it requires courage and vulnerability, but it is the first step toward true healing and peace. When we name our pain, we open ourselves to God’s transforming work and begin the journey from woundedness to wholeness. [35:42]

Jeremiah 17:1, 14 (ESV):
“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars... Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”

Reflection: What is one pain or wound in your life that you have not yet named before God? Take a moment today to bring it honestly to Him in prayer.

Day 2: Lament and Praise—Living in the Tension

The Christian life holds space for both lament and praise. We are invited to bring our tears, grief, and struggles to God, but also to lift up our voices in praise, even when healing has not yet come. Jeremiah’s prayer, “Heal me, and I will be healed... for you are my praise,” reminds us that praise is not dependent on our circumstances but is an act of trust in God’s faithfulness. In the midst of pain, we can still declare God’s goodness and let praise become our weapon against despair. [49:44]

Psalm 34:1 (ESV):
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to choose praise today, even as you wait for healing or answers?

Day 3: Living in Expectation—Hope for Healing

Jeremiah’s prayer is filled with expectation: he believes that when he asks God for healing, God will answer. We are called to pray with the same confidence, trusting that God desires our wholeness and is able to bring restoration. Living in expectation means refusing to settle for a narrative of decline or defeat, but instead believing that God’s peace and healing are possible for us, our families, and our church. [33:09]

Jeremiah 17:14 (ESV):
“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”

Reflection: What is one area where you have stopped expecting God to move? How can you renew your hope and pray with expectation today?

Day 4: Maximizing Our Full Potential—Serving While Healing

Even in the midst of pain, God calls us to continue using our gifts and serving others. Jeremiah did not stop being a shepherd or fulfilling his calling, even as he lamented and sought healing. We are invited to be a gift-affirming community, encouraging one another to step into ministry, creativity, and service, trusting that God can use us powerfully even as we heal. Healing and productivity can happen together as we walk forward in faith. [51:58]

Romans 12:6-8 (ESV):
“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Reflection: What is one gift or talent you can offer to your church or community this week, even as you are on your own journey of healing?

Day 5: You Are Worthy to Be Healed

God’s love for us is so great that He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him for our healing and salvation. The risen Jesus is a healing Jesus, and you are worthy to walk in wholeness because of His sacrifice. Refuse to let negative narratives or the enemy’s lies keep you in pain—declare today that you are worthy of healing, and step forward in faith, trusting in the precious blood of Christ. [45:29]

Isaiah 53:4-5 (ESV):
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

Reflection: What negative narrative about your worth or your future do you need to reject today? How can you embrace the truth that you are worthy of God’s healing?

Sermon Summary

On this Memorial Day weekend, we gather with hearts full of gratitude—thankful for the gift of life, the promise of eternal life, and for those who have given themselves in service and sacrifice. We remember not only the fallen but also those who mourn, asking God’s comfort and assurance for all who grieve. We pray for our community, for those traveling, for our leaders, and for the healing presence of the Holy Spirit among us. As we reflect on the journey of our Greater New Jersey Conference, we celebrate the leadership of Bishop Cynthia and the spirit of unity and hope that is moving us forward.

Today, we are invited to live in expectation, not resignation. The early Methodists would ask, “How is it with your soul?”—a question that calls us to deep honesty about our inner life. Many of us carry wounds—some visible, many hidden. Like Jeremiah, the “weeping prophet,” we are called to name our pain, to recognize the wounds that keep us from the peace Christ offers. Jeremiah’s prayer, “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are my praise,” is a model for us: a prayer of expectation, rooted in trust that God hears and answers.

Naming our pain is the first step toward healing. Whether it is broken trust, negative narratives, or the silent struggles of mental health, we must be honest about what hurts us. The church, too, has experienced wounds—divisions, disappointments, and the challenges of our times. Yet, we are reminded that we are worthy of healing. The risen Jesus is a healing Jesus, and we are called to walk in the wholeness he offers.

But healing is not passive. We are called to lament and to praise—to bring our tears to God, but also to lift our voices in worship, even when we are still waiting for healing. Praise is a weapon, a declaration that God is in control, and it sustains us through valleys and mountaintops alike. Finally, we are called to maximize our full potential, to use our gifts and serve, even as we heal. Healing and purpose go hand in hand; as we affirm each other’s gifts and step into new ministries, we become a gift-affirming community, moving forward together in hope and expectation.

Key Takeaways

1. Naming the Pain: True healing begins with the courage to name our wounds honestly. Like Jeremiah, we must identify the sources of our pain—whether personal, communal, or spiritual—so that we can invite God’s healing into those places. This act of naming is not easy, but it is the first step toward transformation and peace. [35:42]
2. Lament and Praise in Tension: The Christian life holds space for both lament and praise. We are invited to bring our grief and tears before God, but also to lift up praise, even when healing is not yet complete. This tension is not a contradiction but a mark of mature faith, trusting God in both sorrow and joy. [49:44]
3. Worthiness of Healing: We are not meant to live perpetually in our woundedness. The good news is that we are worthy of healing—not because of our own merit, but because Christ has already paid the price. The risen Jesus is our healer, and we are called to reject negative narratives and claim the wholeness he offers. [45:29]
4. Maximizing Our Potential Amidst Pain: Our wounds do not disqualify us from serving or using our gifts. Even as we seek healing, we are called to maximize our potential, to serve, to lead, and to create. God works through us in our brokenness, and as we affirm each other’s gifts, we become a community that moves forward together. [51:58]
5. Community as a Healing Space: Healing is not a solitary journey. The church is called to be a gift-affirming, supportive community where each person’s story is honored and each gift is valued. As we walk together—naming pain, lamenting, praising, and serving—we experience the fullness of God’s peace and become agents of healing for others. [53:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[12:15] - Memorial Day Prayers and Remembrance
[13:47] - Prayers for the Congregation and Travelers
[14:43] - Prayers for Community and Leaders
[27:28] - Opening Prayer and Conference Reflections
[31:48] - Living with Woundedness and Seeking Healing
[33:09] - Jeremiah’s Example: Hope in Exile
[35:42] - Naming the Pain: The First Step to Healing
[38:31] - Broken Trust and Negative Narratives
[42:46] - The Power of Narrative in the Church
[44:27] - Mental Health and the Next Generation
[45:29] - Worthiness of Healing and Changing the Narrative
[49:44] - Lament and Praise: The Tension of Faith
[51:58] - Maximizing Potential and Gift-Affirming Community
[53:31] - Pathways Bridges: Moving Forward Together
[57:56] - Closing Blessing and Thanksgiving
[69:16] - Closing Hymn: Blessed Assurance
[72:01] - Benediction and Sending Forth
[73:44] - Fellowship and Farewell

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 17:14 — “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are my praise.”

Observation Questions

In Jeremiah 17:14, what does Jeremiah ask God to do, and what does this reveal about his trust in God?
According to the sermon, what question did early Methodists ask each other in their small groups, and why was it important? [31:48]
What are some examples of “wounds” or “pains” that the pastor mentioned people might carry, both visible and hidden? [35:42]
How does Jeremiah balance both lament (grief) and praise in his prayer? [49:44]

Interpretation Questions

Why is it important, according to the sermon, to “name the pain” before seeking healing? How does this relate to Jeremiah’s example? [35:42]
The pastor said, “The risen Jesus is a healing Jesus.” What does it mean to be “worthy of healing,” and how does this challenge negative narratives we might believe about ourselves? [45:29]
The sermon talks about living in the “tension” of lament and praise. What does it look like to praise God even when healing hasn’t come yet? [49:44]
How does maximizing our potential and using our gifts connect to the process of healing, according to the message? [51:58]

Application Questions

The pastor encouraged us to be honest about our wounds and name our pain. Is there a specific area in your life where you need to be more honest with yourself or with God? What might it look like to “name the pain” this week? [35:42]
Are there negative narratives—about yourself, your family, or our church—that you have believed? How can you begin to change those stories and claim the wholeness Jesus offers? [42:46]
The message said, “Praise is a weapon.” When was the last time you praised God in the middle of a hard situation? How could you make praise a regular part of your response to pain or disappointment? [49:44]
The pastor shared that our wounds do not disqualify us from serving or using our gifts. Is there a gift or calling you have been holding back because of past hurt? What is one step you could take to use your gifts, even as you heal? [51:58]
The sermon described the church as a “gift-affirming, supportive community.” How can our small group become a safer place for people to share their stories and find healing? What practical steps can we take together? [53:31]
The pastor mentioned the silent struggles of mental health, especially among young people. How can we as individuals and as a group support those who are struggling, and what resources or encouragement can we offer? [44:27]
Think about someone in your life who is grieving or hurting right now. What is one way you can offer comfort, support, or a listening ear to them this week? [13:47]

Sermon Clips

The good news that Bishop shared with us. I love Bishop Cynthia. The good news she shared with us through the conference is this. You are worthy to be healthy. Did somebody hear that this morning? Why don't you preach to your neighbor and say, You are worthy to be healthy. [00:45:35] (23 seconds)

Praise is trusting God and trusting that God is in control of our lives. Praise is lifting up the name of God, that I am, that I am God. Let us as a church get back, put on our weapon of praise again. Praise is a weapon. Praise is a weapon. [00:49:49] (25 seconds)

``He said, let everything that has bread praise the Lord. He said, I will praise in the valley and praise on the mountain. I will praise when I am sure and praise when I am doubting. I will praise when I am outnumbered and I will praise when I am surrounded because praise is the water that my enemies drown in. He said, as long as I am breathing, I have a reason to praise God. I will praise him when I feel it and I will praise him when I don't. I will praise him when I know that you are still in control because my praise is a weapon is more than a sound. It is the shout that brings the Jericho down. And as long as I am breathing, I got a reason to praise. [00:50:44] (83 seconds)

So what are we taking home away today? When we live in expectation of healing and peace, number one, we name what? The wounds. Number two, we do what? Lament and... You want me to preach this same sermon next week? We lament and praise. And the last thing is that we maximize our full potential as a gift affirming community. Lord, heal us and we will be healed. Save us and we will be saved. May your praises never move away from our lips. In Jesus' name. Passionate. Amen. [00:57:18] (63 seconds)

Everyone here have a story to tell. And in your story, there is pain and wounds. But in the midst of the story, may God put his song in your story and may the praise of God never depart from your lips. As we go through this week and the weeks, the days ahead, may we walk in the healing and walk in wholeness knowing that the risen Jesus is our healer. Amen. [01:11:18] (43 seconds)

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