Embracing Lament: Finding Hope Amidst Suffering
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, church. Today, we delved into the spiritual discipline of lament, exploring how it shapes us and brings us closer to God. We read from Romans 8:18-26, where Paul speaks about the present sufferings and the future glory that awaits us. Paul doesn't aim to explain why suffering exists but rather to give hope to believers by pointing to the future glory in Christ Jesus. He emphasizes that suffering is a part of life, even for those who follow Jesus, and that we must hold the tension between our present pain and future hope.
I shared a personal story about my daughter being diagnosed with cancer, which shattered my hopes and dreams for her. This experience brought me face-to-face with the harsh realities of life and the need for lament. Paul uses the metaphor of childbirth to describe the groaning of creation and humanity, highlighting the excruciating pain but also the hope of new life. This tension between pain and hope is something we must hold onto.
Lament allows us to acknowledge the disparity between the broken world we see and the character of God. It gives us permission to express our grief and sorrow openly. Too often, we avoid lament because it makes us uncomfortable, but it's essential for our spiritual growth. We need to invite God into our suffering, knowing that Jesus can handle our pain and doubts.
The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groans, turning our cries into prayers that God understands. Our suffering is not just bad luck but a reminder of the fallen world we live in. Paul encourages us to hope in what is unseen, pointing to the future glory when Christ will make all things new. This hope is grounded in our salvation and the Holy Spirit within us.
I encouraged everyone to take steps to practice lament, acknowledging God, giving our complaints to Him, and reorienting ourselves back to His promises. We must invite God into our pain and suffering, knowing that He is with us and will guide us through the storm.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Tension Between Suffering and Hope: Paul teaches us to hold the tension between our present sufferings and the future glory that awaits us in Christ. This tension is not meant to be resolved but to be lived in, as it shapes our faith and draws us closer to God. [35:21]
2. Permission to Lament: Lament is a spiritual discipline that allows us to express our grief and sorrow openly. It acknowledges the disparity between the broken world we see and the character of God. We have permission to cry out to God, to express our doubts and pain, knowing that He can handle it. [43:55]
3. The Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Suffering: The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groans, turning our cries into prayers that God understands. This means we are never alone in our suffering; God is with us, interpreting our pain and responding to our needs. [49:27]
4. Hope in the Midst of Pain: Our hope is not unfounded; it is grounded in the salvation we have in Christ and the Holy Spirit within us. This hope points us to the future glory when Christ will make all things new, reminding us that our present sufferings are temporary. [52:56]
5. Steps to Practice Lament: To practice lament, we must first acknowledge God, then give our complaints to Him, and finally reorient ourselves back to His promises. This process helps us invite God into our suffering, allowing Him to guide us through our pain and bring us closer to Him. [54:38]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[28:07] - Reading from Romans 8:18-26
[29:47] - Prayer and Introduction
[31:29] - Personal Story of Suffering
[35:21] - The Tension Between Suffering and Hope
[37:01] - Humanity's Depravity and Hope in Christ
[38:42] - Groaning of Creation and Childbirth Metaphor
[40:26] - Creation's Longing for Redemption
[42:09] - The Reality of Pain and Suffering
[43:55] - Permission to Lament
[45:39] - Inviting God into Our Suffering
[47:29] - The Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Suffering
[49:27] - Personal Experience of Groaning in Pain
[51:01] - Living Between the Ages
[52:56] - Hope in the Midst of Pain
[54:38] - Steps to Practice Lament
[56:24] - Invitation to Lament
[57:59] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
[01:05:51] - Final Blessing and Dismissal
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Romans 8:18-26
### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul say about the present sufferings and future glory in Romans 8:18-26?
2. How does Paul describe the groaning of creation and humanity in this passage?
3. According to the sermon, what personal story did Pastor John share to illustrate the need for lament? [31:29]
4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in our suffering according to Romans 8:26 and the sermon? [49:27]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul emphasize the tension between present suffering and future hope in Romans 8:18-26? How does this tension shape our faith? [35:21]
2. How does the metaphor of childbirth help us understand the concept of groaning and hope in the passage? [38:42]
3. What does it mean to have "permission to lament," and why is it important for our spiritual growth? [43:55]
4. How does the Holy Spirit intercede for us with "wordless groans," and what does this reveal about God's understanding of our pain? [49:27]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced significant suffering. How did you handle the tension between your pain and your hope in God? [35:21]
2. Pastor John shared a personal story about his daughter's illness. How can sharing our own stories of suffering and lament help others in their faith journey? [31:29]
3. The sermon mentioned that we often avoid lament because it makes us uncomfortable. How can you create space in your life to practice lament more openly? [43:55]
4. How can you invite God into your current struggles and pain, knowing that He can handle your doubts and fears? [45:39]
5. The Holy Spirit turns our cries into prayers that God understands. How does this change your perspective on expressing your pain and suffering to God? [49:27]
6. What steps can you take this week to practice lament, acknowledging God, giving your complaints to Him, and reorienting yourself back to His promises? [54:38]
7. How can you support someone in your life who is currently going through a season of suffering and needs to practice lament? [45:39]
Devotional
Day 1: The Tension Between Suffering and Hope
In Romans 8:18-26, Paul speaks about the present sufferings and the future glory that awaits believers in Christ. He doesn't try to explain why suffering exists but instead offers hope by pointing to the future glory. Paul uses the metaphor of childbirth to describe the groaning of creation and humanity, highlighting the excruciating pain but also the hope of new life. This tension between pain and hope is something we must hold onto. Suffering is a part of life, even for those who follow Jesus, and we must learn to live in this tension, as it shapes our faith and draws us closer to God. [35:21]
Romans 8:18-19 (ESV): "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God."
Reflection: Think about a current struggle or suffering in your life. How can you hold onto the hope of future glory in Christ while navigating this present pain?
Day 2: Permission to Lament
Lament is a spiritual discipline that allows us to express our grief and sorrow openly. It acknowledges the disparity between the broken world we see and the character of God. Too often, we avoid lament because it makes us uncomfortable, but it's essential for our spiritual growth. We need to invite God into our suffering, knowing that Jesus can handle our pain and doubts. Lament gives us permission to cry out to God, to express our doubts and pain, knowing that He can handle it. [43:55]
Psalm 13:1-2 (ESV): "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?"
Reflection: When was the last time you openly expressed your grief and sorrow to God? Take a moment today to lament before Him, sharing your deepest pains and doubts.
Day 3: The Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Suffering
The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groans, turning our cries into prayers that God understands. This means we are never alone in our suffering; God is with us, interpreting our pain and responding to our needs. Our suffering is not just bad luck but a reminder of the fallen world we live in. The Holy Spirit's intercession assures us that God is intimately involved in our lives, even in our deepest pain. [49:27]
Romans 8:26-27 (ESV): "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt alone in your suffering. How does knowing that the Holy Spirit intercedes for you change your perspective on that experience?
Day 4: Hope in the Midst of Pain
Our hope is not unfounded; it is grounded in the salvation we have in Christ and the Holy Spirit within us. This hope points us to the future glory when Christ will make all things new, reminding us that our present sufferings are temporary. Paul encourages us to hope in what is unseen, pointing to the future glory when Christ will make all things new. This hope is a powerful anchor for our souls, especially in times of pain and suffering. [52:56]
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to hold onto hope in the midst of pain? How can you remind yourself of the future glory that awaits you in Christ?
Day 5: Steps to Practice Lament
To practice lament, we must first acknowledge God, then give our complaints to Him, and finally reorient ourselves back to His promises. This process helps us invite God into our suffering, allowing Him to guide us through our pain and bring us closer to Him. Lament is not just about expressing our pain but also about reorienting our hearts towards God's promises and faithfulness. [54:38]
Lamentations 3:19-24 (ESV): "Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: Take time today to practice lament. Acknowledge God, share your complaints with Him, and then reorient your heart towards His promises. How does this process change your perspective on your current struggles?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Many of us carry with us expectations, yeah? Whether we're aware of it or not. You see, when each of my children were, born into this world, I had these beautiful dreams and hopes for each and every single one of them. An expectation that I get to be a part of their lives as a dad, leading them and guiding them through life, watching them grow into who God made them to be, right?" [29:47] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Paul's main goal, as he writes to the churches, is to give hope to believers. To look towards the future hope and the future glory that we have in Christ Jesus in the midst of our suffering. To hold these two things in tension with one another. Suffering and yet hope." [35:21] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We lament because when we sit with Jesus through our suffering, it reorients our storm. It reorients the chaos back to God. And it allows us to hold the hand of our shepherd through that storm so we won't derail, so we won't get lost in our own darkness." [47:29] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "There is nowhere that you can go where God cannot go. There is nowhere, there is no darkness so deep that God cannot go. Amen? In our pain and in our doubts and our suffering and our darkness, we invite the living God into that pain." [47:29] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Church, we are to hope. We are to yearn and long for what is yet to come in the age when Christ comes again. The age of glory. Something that far outweighs our current suffering. To hope is found in Revelation chapter 21. Look, God is dwelling here with humankind and he dwells with them and they will be his people." [52:56] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The spiritual discipline of lament is simply the acknowledgement that there is a disparity, a disconnect between the reality of the world that we see around us and the character of what we know is true about God. Do you know that we have permission to lament? Permission to passionately express our grievance and our sorrow?" [43:55] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "It is the practice of lament that we choose to suffer with God who suffered for us on our behalf. We invite the suffering, the crucified Christ into our suffering to hold us into that tension of pain." [47:29] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When we see injustice in our sufferings and our community and in the world, we invite God into that pain. See, when I was sitting there in the hospital telling me that my daughter has cancer, I would experience these pains of suffering and these groanings as I had to watch my baby go through chemo again and again and again, where her hair starts falling out." [47:29] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "So when we're too weak to even pray, when we don't think about our pain, we don't cry. We don't cry. We don't cry. We don't cry. We don't think that we're praying to God, but all we can do is just cry in our pain. That's praying. God is holding every tear. God is with us in the midst of that." [49:27] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We already have a deposit. Amen. And that deposit is a deposit of salvation. We already receive the first fruits, the crops of the harvest. We already have assurance of the Holy Spirit that's inside of us. The Spirit that allows us to cry out to God, Abba, Father. We have sonship. We have fellowship with God." [52:56] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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