How can we look around the world and not give up hope, question God, or spiral into a pit despair?
From the heartbreaking stories coming out of Afghanistan, to the chaos that COVID is causing (especially in poorer countries), the pressure we’re all feeling in our daily lives, or the on-going division and social media rants about vaccines, lockdowns, and politics. What a mess!
How do we respond? Ignore it? Distract ourselves with memes, Netflix, and online shopping? Do we turn to grumbling and whinging? All of the above?
Or we could respond in lament!
Lament allows us to face the brokenness of our world with a mix of ‘realness’ and hope. And we’ve not been good at it.
Of the 150 Psalms we have in the Old Testament, 42 are psalms of lament. Lament generally has four phases to it:
- Turn to God
- Bring your complaint to him
- Ask for deliverance
- Choose to trust
Lament allows us to be real with God. Lament give us the space to grieve. Lament reminds us of God promises and stirs faith. It is a uniquely Christian response to living between Eden and the age to come. We grieve, but it’s grief tinged with hope.
So, if you’re struggling to find words to pray right now, start with a psalm of lament—I suggest Psalms 10, 13, 22, 77. Pray through the four movements and allow your heart the space to grieve and find hope in God again.
We are looking forward to restrictions lifting and being able to gather again in increasing numbers. Please know that your elders and staff team have been praying for you. We love you and miss you all and can not wait to be with you all again.
Matt Sparks
Lead Pastor // Anchor City