“‘Where have you put him?’ he asked them. They told him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, ‘See how much he loved him!’”
I had a wrong view of God when I thought I needed to keep my emotions from him. I didn’t want to bother God with my cries and I didn’t want to appear anxious. I didn’t want to be a complaining Christian. But offering God an authentic lament is different than a complaint. Laments are always allowed in his presence.
Jesus lamented, “the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head” at night (Matt. 8:20). Jesus lamented, “How long?” when his followers were faithless (Matt. 17:17). He lamented that the very people he wanted to gather as children were rejecting him and were bent on killing God’s prophets (Matt. 23:34–37). Jesus even lamented when his friend Lazarus died (John 11:35). Why would I think my Christian vocabulary would be void of laments?
We can’t focus solely on our laments without also remembering his. Lamenting is not only for when our faith runs low; lamenting is for the faithful. Like Jesus, we can let our cries be known to God. Lamenting serves as evidence that we pray to a God who listens to us. What other God comforts a lamenter’s cry?
When we face a prolonged season of waiting or grief, it is tempting to keep our laments inside. Suffering in silence can lead us to become self-focused instead of God-focused. Instead, as we lament out loud, we can remind ourselves that we pray to a suffering servant who understands our pain.
Reflect:
Read John 11:1–44. What comfort do you find in Jesus’ own expressions of sorrow or complaint? Why?
Pray:
Thank God for hearing the laments and hurts you have shared with him this week. Praise him for his faithfulness and comfort.
And among the worst-rated by everybody else.
Effective biblical engagement must be about more than one’s personal experience with Scripture.
Why I’m hopeful about the revival breaking out in our chapel and its implications for the campus and beyond.españolPortuguêsFrançais한국어Indonesian
Both leaders have huge followings. But how well do we really know them?
