Your Kingdom Come Prayer Series - Jeremiah's Prayer of Lament

Pain and heartbreak are realities that touch every life, and living in a world marred by sin means that suffering is inevitable. Yet, in the midst of this, God has given a profound gift: the prayer of lament. Lament is not simply venting or complaining to God, nor is it a sign of weak faith. Rather, it is a God-ordained way to bring our honest pain, confusion, and questions before Him. Lament is the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God’s goodness. It is a grace that allows us to express the tension between what we believe about God’s love and power and the suffering we experience.

The Scriptures are full of laments—at least a third of the Psalms, and the book of Lamentations itself. Jeremiah, the prophet, is a powerful example. He endured public humiliation, violence, and deep loneliness for faithfully proclaiming God’s word. In his lament, Jeremiah moves through three stages: complaint, reaching out in prayer, and inward assurance. He does not hold back his anguish, even daring to say to God, “You deceived me.” Yet, lament is not about irreverence; it is about bringing our raw, unfiltered selves to God, trusting that He can handle our pain.

Lament is not a dead-end prayer. Often, it leads to a place of assurance and even praise, as Jeremiah declares, “But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior.” However, the journey is not always linear. Jeremiah himself, after a moment of praise, plunges again into despair, wishing he had never been born. This emotional rollercoaster is part of the human experience of suffering. Yet, Jeremiah’s story does not end in despair. He continues to serve, to lament, and ultimately to declare God’s faithfulness: “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed… Great is your faithfulness.”

Jesus Himself entered into our pain. He prayed with tears, cried out in lament on the cross, and knows our grief intimately. Because He is fully human, He is able to come alongside us in our suffering. The resurrection assures us that, in the end, everything will be made right. Lament is a grace that leads us to trust, to hope, and to deeper fellowship with Christ, who walks with us through every valley.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Lament is a Gift of Grace, Not a Sign of Weakness Lament is not just venting or complaining; it is a God-given way to pray when we are in pain. It allows us to bring our honest struggles before God, trusting that He welcomes our rawness and does not turn away from our questions or confusion. This practice is rooted in faith, not the absence of it, and is a means by which God meets us in our suffering. [04:17]
• 2. The Pattern of Lament: Complaint, Reaching Out, Assurance Biblical lament often follows a pattern: first, voicing our complaint and pain; second, reaching out to God in prayer and asking for help; and third, coming to a place of inward assurance or trust in God’s deliverance. This structure is a gracious provision, giving us a way to process our pain and move toward hope, even if the journey is not always straightforward. [08:12]
• 3. Honest Lament Does Not Hold Back—God Can Handle Our Pain Jeremiah’s example shows that lament can include strong, even shocking language directed at God. The point is not to be disrespectful, but to be real. God invites us to pour out our hearts, including our anger, confusion, and disappointment, because He desires relationship with us in the midst of our suffering, not just when we have it all together. [11:00]
• 4. Lament is a Journey, Not a Quick Fix Even after moments of assurance or praise, we may find ourselves plunged back into despair. The emotional ups and downs are part of the process, and one prayer of lament may not resolve everything. Like Jeremiah, we are called to keep going, to keep lamenting, and to trust that God’s steadfast love will ultimately bring us through. [16:29]
• 5. Jesus Enters Our Lament and Guarantees Our Hope Jesus, fully human, experienced grief, pain, and lament. He prayed with tears and cried out in anguish on the cross. Because He has walked this path, He is able to come alongside us in our suffering, assuring us that our lament is heard and that, through His resurrection, everything will ultimately be made right.
  
  ** [22:33]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [03:44] - The Reality of Pain in a Broken World
• [04:17] - Lament: A Gift from God
• [05:08] - Defining Lament: Wrestling with Pain and God’s Promise
• [06:32] - Lament in Scripture and Jeremiah’s Story
• [08:12] - The Pattern of Lament: Complaint, Reaching Out, Assurance
• [09:01] - Jeremiah’s Honest Complaint
• [10:21] - Jeremiah’s Suffering and Turmoil
• [12:52] - Moving Toward Assurance and Praise
• [13:57] - Practicing Lament in Daily Life
• [15:18] - Lament as Faith in Pain
• [16:29] - The Emotional Rollercoaster of Lament
• [17:26] - Jeremiah’s Enduring Faith and God’s Faithfulness
• [18:22] - Jesus’ Humanity and Lament
• [20:16] - Jesus’ Lament on the Cross
• [22:33] - Jesus Joins Us in Our Lament
• [23:10] - Learning to Pray Lament
• [23:45] - Praying a Lament Together
• [26:13] - Closing and Benediction

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 20:7-18 (ESV) — > 7 O LORD, you have deceived me, and I was deceived;
> you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed.
> I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me.
> 8 For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!”
> For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.
> 9 If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,”
> there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones,
> and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.
> 10 For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side!
> “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends,
> watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived;
> then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.”
> 11 But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior;
> therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me.
> They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed.
> Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.
> 12 O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous,
> who sees the heart and the mind,
> let me see your vengeance upon them,
> for to you have I committed my cause.
> 13 Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD!
> For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.
> 14 Cursed be the day on which I was born!
> The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed!
> 15 Cursed be the man who brought the news to my father,
> “A son is born to you,” making him very glad.
> 16 Let that man be like the cities that the LORD overthrew without pity;
> let him hear a cry in the morning and an alarm at noon,
> 17 because he did not kill me in the womb;
> so my mother would have been my grave,
> and her womb forever great.
> 18 Why did I come out from the womb
> to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame?

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV) — > 22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
> his mercies never come to an end;
> 23 they are new every morning;
> great is your faithfulness.

Matthew 27:46 (ESV) — > 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Observation Questions

1. In Jeremiah 20:7-18, what strong emotions and words does Jeremiah use to express his pain to God? How does he move between complaint, prayer, and assurance? [09:01]
2. According to the sermon, what is the pattern or structure of a biblical lament? [08:12]
3. How does Jeremiah’s lament end in chapter 20, and what does this reveal about the journey of lament? [16:29]
4. What does Jesus’ cry on the cross (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) show us about his experience of suffering? [20:16]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God included so many laments in Scripture, including the Psalms, Jeremiah, and even Jesus’ own prayers? What does this say about how God wants us to approach him in our pain? [06:32]
2. The sermon says lament is “faith expressing itself in pain.” How is lament different from simply complaining or venting? [15:18]
3. Jeremiah’s journey in lament is not a straight line—he moves from complaint to assurance and back to despair. What does this teach us about the reality of processing pain and faith? [16:29]
4. How does knowing that Jesus himself lamented and experienced deep sorrow change the way we view our own suffering and prayers of lament? [22:33]

Application Questions

1. The sermon says lament is a gift of grace, not a sign of weak faith. When you are hurting, do you tend to hide your true feelings from God or others? What would it look like for you to bring your raw, honest pain to God in prayer? [04:17]
2. The pattern of lament includes complaint, reaching out, and assurance. Think of a current struggle or pain in your life. How could you use this pattern to pray honestly this week? Is there a specific step that feels hardest for you? [08:12]
3. Jeremiah uses strong, even shocking language in his lament. Are there things you have been afraid to say to God because you thought they were too much? What might it look like to trust that God can handle your real emotions? [11:00]
4. The sermon describes lament as a journey, not a quick fix. Have you ever expected prayer to “fix” your pain right away? How can you keep coming to God even when you don’t feel better immediately? [16:29]
5. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases… great is your faithfulness.” How can you remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in the middle of ongoing pain or disappointment? [17:26]
6. Jesus entered into our pain and lamented himself. How does this truth help you when you feel alone in your suffering? Is there a way you can invite Jesus into your pain this week? [22:33]
7. The sermon suggests practicing lament together as a church or small group. Would you be willing to try writing or praying a lament together? What concerns or pains could you bring before God as a group? [23:45]