Finding Hope Through Honest Lament in Faith

Devotional

Day 1: The Necessity of Lament

Lament is an essential part of our spiritual journey, allowing us to bring our deepest pains and questions before God. It acknowledges the harsh realities of life while still expressing faith in His faithfulness. This honest dialogue with God is crucial for spiritual and emotional healing. Lamenting is not about complaining for the sake of complaining but about engaging in a raw and honest conversation with God, trusting that He can handle our deepest emotions. By lamenting, we are not showing a lack of faith; rather, we are demonstrating a profound trust in God's ability to hear and respond to our cries. [31:53]

Psalm 6:6-7 (ESV): "I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes."

Reflection: Think of a recent moment of deep pain or confusion in your life. How can you bring this before God in an honest lament today?

Day 2: Structure of Lament

The Psalms provide a structured way to lament, starting with a plea, followed by a complaint, a petition, and a vow of trust and praise. This structure helps us move from a place of deep anguish to a place of spiritual and emotional movement, allowing God to work within us. By following this structure, we can ensure that our laments are not just expressions of despair but are also pathways to hope and trust in God. This process of lamenting can transform our pain into a deeper relationship with God, as we learn to trust Him more fully through our trials. [41:18]

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: Write your own lament following the structure of plea, complaint, petition, and vow of trust. What specific pain or struggle do you need to bring before God today?

Day 3: God Can Handle Our Emotions

God is not afraid of our visceral language or intense emotions. He invites us to bring our raw and honest feelings to Him, knowing that this is a form of faith in His faithfulness. This honesty is necessary for true spiritual growth and healing. When we hold back our emotions from God, we are not being fully honest with Him or ourselves. By bringing our full range of emotions to God, we open ourselves up to His healing and transformative power. This process can deepen our relationship with God, as we learn to trust Him with every part of our lives. [45:42]

Psalm 55:17 (ESV): "Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt intense emotions but held them back from God. How can you bring those emotions to Him now, trusting in His faithfulness?

Day 4: Specific Petitions and Reasons

When we bring our petitions to God, we should be specific and give Him reasons why He should act. This is not about negotiating with God but about expressing our deep trust in His promises and His character. By being specific in our petitions, we show that we believe God is capable of addressing our particular needs and concerns. This specificity also helps us to focus our prayers and to recognize God's answers when they come. It is an act of faith to present our detailed requests to God, trusting that He cares about the specifics of our lives. [57:13]

Psalm 25:16-18 (ESV): "Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins."

Reflection: Think of a specific need or concern in your life right now. How can you present this to God in a detailed petition, trusting in His character and promises?

Day 5: Movement Within

The ultimate goal of lament is not just to change our circumstances but to experience a profound movement within our souls. This internal transformation is often more important than external changes, as it prepares us to face future disorienting moments with faith and resilience. By focusing on the internal movement, we allow God to work deeply within us, shaping our character and strengthening our faith. This process helps us to become more resilient and better equipped to handle life's challenges, knowing that God is with us and working within us. [11:52]

Psalm 42:5 (ESV): "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge or disorienting moment in your life. How has God used this experience to bring about internal movement and transformation within you?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In today's sermon, we explored the profound and often painful reality of life's disorienting moments through the lens of biblical lament. We began with the tragic story of Johnny Hockey, a young man whose life was abruptly cut short, illustrating how quickly life can shift from harmony to chaos. This story set the stage for a deeper dive into the Psalms, particularly focusing on the structure and purpose of laments. The Psalms, especially the laments, provide a raw and honest way to express our deepest pains and questions to God. They teach us that it's not only okay but necessary to bring our visceral emotions and complaints before God.

We examined Psalm 13 and Psalm 22 to understand the structure of a lament, which typically starts with a plea, followed by a complaint, a petition, and then a vow of trust and praise. This structure helps us move from a place of deep anguish to a place of spiritual and emotional movement. The sermon emphasized that God can handle our most intense emotions and that expressing them is a form of faith in His faithfulness. We also discussed the importance of being specific in our petitions and giving God reasons why He should act, as seen in the Psalms.

The sermon concluded by connecting the laments to the crucifixion of Christ, showing how Jesus Himself used the language of lament on the cross. This connection underscores the power and necessity of lament in our spiritual lives. Ultimately, the message is one of hope: through honest lament, we can experience a profound movement within our souls, leading us to a place of trust and praise, even in the midst of our deepest sorrows.

###

Key Takeaways

1. The Necessity of Lament: Lament is a crucial part of our spiritual journey. It allows us to bring our deepest pains and questions before God, acknowledging the harsh realities of life while still expressing faith in His faithfulness. This honest dialogue with God is essential for spiritual and emotional healing. [31:53]
2. Structure of Lament: The Psalms provide a structured way to lament, starting with a plea, followed by a complaint, a petition, and a vow of trust and praise. This structure helps us move from a place of deep anguish to a place of spiritual and emotional movement, allowing God to work within us. [41:18]
3. God Can Handle Our Emotions: God is not afraid of our visceral language or intense emotions. He invites us to bring our raw and honest feelings to Him, knowing that this is a form of faith in His faithfulness. This honesty is necessary for true spiritual growth and healing. [45:42]
4. Specific Petitions and Reasons: When we bring our petitions to God, we should be specific and give Him reasons why He should act. This is not about negotiating with God but about expressing our deep trust in His promises and His character. [57:13]
5. Movement Within: The ultimate goal of lament is not just to change our circumstances but to experience a profound movement within our souls. This internal transformation is often more important than external changes, as it prepares us to face future disorienting moments with faith and resilience. [11:52]
### [11:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[28:52] - Introduction: Johnny Hockey's Story
[31:14] - The Reality of Disorientation
[32:29] - The Honesty of the Psalms
[33:38] - Comparative Suffering and Disorientation
[34:10] - Writing a Song of Lament
[35:16] - Structure of Laments in the Psalms
[36:24] - Examples of Lament: Judas and Peter
[37:29] - The Structure of Songs
[39:02] - The Lord's Prayer as a Model
[40:43] - Movement Within the Soul
[41:18] - Psalm 13: A Deep Dive
[45:42] - God Can Handle Our Emotions
[49:54] - The Importance of Complaining to God
[57:13] - Specific Petitions and Reasons
[11:52] - Movement Within vs. Circumstances
[84:07] - Conclusion and Call to Faith

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What are the four main components of a lament as described in Psalm 13? ([41:18])
How does Psalm 22 reflect the intense emotions and questions directed towards God? ([46:14])
What specific event in Jesus' life is connected to the language of lament in Psalm 22? ([01:21:42])
How does the sermon describe the movement within the soul that occurs during a lament? ([40:43])

Interpretation Questions

Why is it important to bring our deepest pains and questions before God, according to the sermon? ([31:53])
How does the structure of a lament help in moving from anguish to trust and praise? ([41:18])
What does the sermon suggest about God's ability to handle our intense emotions and visceral language? ([45:42])
How does the connection between Jesus' crucifixion and the language of lament in Psalm 22 deepen our understanding of lament? ([01:21:42])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you experienced a disorienting moment in your life. How did you respond to God during that time? ([31:14])
The sermon emphasizes the necessity of being specific in our petitions to God. Think of a current struggle you are facing. How can you be more specific in your prayers about this issue? ([57:13])
How can you incorporate the structure of lament (plea, complaint, petition, vow of trust and praise) into your personal prayer life? ([41:18])
The sermon suggests that expressing our raw emotions to God is a form of faith in His faithfulness. How can you practice this kind of honesty in your relationship with God? ([45:42])
Consider the idea of "movement within" as described in the sermon. How can you seek internal transformation in your current circumstances rather than just external changes? ([11:52])
How does understanding Jesus' use of lament on the cross impact your view of your own suffering and prayers? ([01:21:42])
The sermon mentions the importance of giving God reasons why He should act. What are some reasons you can present to God in your current prayers, based on His promises and character? ([57:13])

Sermon Clips

1. "The Bible is an honest book. It doesn't deny these tragedies. It doesn't deny that there are moments when the sovereignty of God intersects with the reality of life and it is horrible. The book of Psalms doesn't deny it. Two thirds of this incredible catalog of music that explains the true reality of life in its fullest expression and what it means to be a human being with human experiences. Two thirds, two thirds of the 150 books are laments." [32:29] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The moments are harsh and brutal. But you'll hear today so too does our response need to be. That God can handle visceral language. That God can handle a violent approach of his people who charge his throne because we do know him. We know, we have tasted orientation. We've declared that when all seems right it's because of him." [34:10] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You sing a very different song but you sing it to the same God. And what we will see today in the 22nd and predominantly the 13th Psalm and I'll give you a few other illustrations is that there's something powerful about the structure of these laments. That's what they are. Just this guttural visceral crying out to God. Where you're not only questioning what happened, you're questioning why He allowed it." [35:16] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "There is so much pain and if you and I simply feel like I can't cry out in this situation because it's not as bad as that situation then what you will do is deny yourself deliverance, spiritual deliverance in a situation and what you'll not do is train yourself for that moment we know is coming. It is coming. You will be the one who suffers the loss of a loved one. Because nobody gets out alive." [36:24] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The lament of God's people leads to movement in this is the first key don't forget that movement in then movement for movement in movement for here we go how long Lord just as the Lord's prayer it starts with an acknowledgement of the relationship remember last week we talked how critical it is that you never forget that you have the right to call him our God no one is like our God it's a possessive term not no one is like the God although that's true there is something rich." [44:08] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Somewhere along the line you gotta have the courage to complain you really do if we don't get this out of us it's going to continue to poison us and that is the exact opposite of what needs to happen is in order for that movement to happen we've got to get honest with God about what's going these songs are written to God and they're written for others so that we can learn them it's not about running around and telling all your friends you go to God with this." [54:49] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "The lament of God's people honestly addresses God about the situation you're in and his inaction gosh can you imagine calling 911 because your house is on fire and 30 minutes later they're still not there you call and say hey listen it's no longer the garage now my kitchen's engulfed okay we're coming hour later you call back dude the entire house I know we're coming you're like this is not how fire departments respond how would you what would you do at that moment you'd lose your ever loving mind wouldn't you." [58:23] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "You have to ask yourself if you had to choose between two movements one being the movement of God to intervene in your circumstances or the movement of God to intervene in your consciousness which do you prefer do you want God to change your situation and leave you frustrated emotionally sick incapable of adjusting or would you rather if you had to choose and I'm not saying you do praise God you don't but would you prefer to be at peace or have different situations." [01:11:14] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Every time we write a song about what we're going through we express confidence Walter Brueggemann so beautifully said until we sing it it's not real it's when we start singing the lament that we give life to it so that God can do something about it such a beautiful thought I will sing the Lord's praise how do you get there from well I don't know I will give thanks in the great assembly among the throng shall I praise you." [01:14:28] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "On that painful, painful Thursday night when Christ is in the garden, it's really the beginning of that incredible season of it be thou will, remove this cup from me. Yet not I will, my will be done but thou. So excruciating, it was literally sweat and blood. But by the next morning, they have, found him guilty on trumped up charges. They have stripped his clothes from him and they've begun to beat him. They're beating him over the head with a club repeatedly." [01:19:50] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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