Lament
I had planned to kick off the year writing about the practice of fasting, but instead this week I want to talk about the practice of lament. Lament is when we grieve or mourn; when we cry out looking for answers, or when we question why things are going sideways. Lament isn’t something we talk too much about, because it can be uncomfortable. As a person who has had a tendency to stuff my feelings rather than feel them, it has taken me some time to realize that the practice of lament is healthy and helpful.
Over the years I have discovered that grief and loss deserve to be processed. We are not machines that can just skip over the hard seasons; never processing the pain associated with them. God has equipped us with a myriad of emotions and exploring hard seasons is a part of being human. At times we can walk through losses and grief on our own, while at other times we need to invite people into the process with us. A trusted friend or counselor can offer guidance as we wrestle with whatever is going on in our story at the moment.
Yesterday, very early in the morning, we received a call that a man we had known for nearly three decades had unexpectedly gone to be with Jesus. Here on earth, at this moment in time, his body just stopped working. As we sat awake praying and talking we thought about all of the people who will miss this man. He lived his life loving Jesus and was a pillar in his community for as long as we’ve known him. Our hearts were grieving as we talked about how much we’d miss our friend, and thought about all that his passing means for his family and community.
This man will be missed deeply. We will not rush past the sorrow that comes from his loss. Neither will we forget that Jesus is near to the brokenhearted. Jesus showed us what it looks like to weep with our friends after a devastating loss. He showed us how to make space for the pain, while also knowing that in him there is hope. We have hope that Jesus will provide solace and peace in this season of grief. We have hope knowing we will see our friend again one day. We have hope that God remains faithful despite the circumstances. And yet, we are still sad. And that is ok.
The world has collectively endured much hardship and grief over the past two years. It has been unlike anything we’ve known in our lifetimes. Practicing lament, being honest about what we have lost and how it has impacted us as a people, is essential. We cannot pretend everything is fine. We cannot ignore the weariness of the world.
But as followers of Jesus what we can do is enter into the weary spaces and offer comfort and hope. Jesus is with us. His Spirit empowers us.
In Every Moment Holy Volume II, Douglas McKelvey offers beautiful words of liturgy, rooted in scripture, to help us walk through various losses and grief. Read this excerpt from A Time of Widespread Suffering and then click below to read the whole liturgy. I hope it will be a comfort and an encouragement to you this week.
“It is no surprise to you that we are here now, sharing in this turmoil along with the rest of our society, for you have called your children to live as salt and light among the nations, praying and laboring for the flourishing of the communities where we dwell, acting as agents of your forgiveness, salvation, healing, reconciliation, and hope, in the very midst of an often-troubled world.
And in these holy vocations you have not left us helpless, O Lord, because you have not left us at all. Your Spirit remains among us.
Inhabit now your church, O Spirit of the Risen Christ. Unite and equip your people for the work before them.”
May we not ignore the practice of lament, but rather embrace it as needed in various seasons. As we lay our heartache before God, may we be reminded that he is with us in all things and that his faithfulness extends to all generations.
~ Melissa