Note: This is Part IV of my 5-Part exploration of Lament. Use the link below to read my previous post.
Part IV: Trust Born From Lament
Part IV: Trust Born From Lament
“Trust is believing what you know to be true even though the facts of suffering might call that belief into question. Lament keep us turning toward trust by giving us the language to step into the wilderness between our painful reality and our hopeful longings” (Vroegop, p.77).
When in the middle of the pain and sorrow, sometimes it is so hard to keep trusting God. The magnitude of the pain and hurt can sometimes shadow God's goodness and care. That's where lament becomes crucial! Lament has a way of keeping the right perspective. It can help you to see God's goodness and care in the midst of the trial or despite the trial. When this current trial began almost 4 months ago, everything was so shocking and sudden and traumatic, that I became blind to God's goodness. Everything was just so big and painful and dark. For the first time after so many trials in my life, I felt that my faith in God was shaken. Two weeks before my world came crashing down, I realized that for the first time in many, many years, life seemed to have hit a smooth rhythm. The trials with our son's mental health and our other son's medical needs had calmed significantly. Other than a significant battle I was fighting from a midwifery front and an occasional struggles in helping our sons find their life's purpose, life was eerily calm, and life was good. This realization was so shocking, I was afraid to voice it out loud, so I had kept it to myself. Since my world came crashing down, I had discussed that realization with my husband, who in turn said he had had that very thought around that same time and also chose to keep quiet about it. Needless to say, we didn't get to enjoy that peace for long, and when our world crashed around us, it was hard for me to not struggle with doubt about God's goodness, anger that He couldn't allow us to enjoy being on the mountain for a little longer before crashing into the valley, and sorrow over how much grief and trauma we were experiencing.
Thankfully, I didn't stay in that dark place of lack of trust for very long. God used my journey into lament to give my faith wings and help me trust Him again.
In Dark Clouds Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament, Mark Vroegop reveals how lament can birth trust:
“Choosing to trust through lament requires that we rejoice
without knowing how all the dots connect.
We decide to let God be his own interpreter, trusting that somehow his gracious
plan is being worked out—even if we can’t see it” (Vroegop, p.79).
“When pain topples our idols, lament invites self-examination. We can see more clearly the misplaced objects
of trust that surface when the layers are peeled back. Pain helps us to see who we are and what we
love” (Vroegop, p.126).
“Prayers of lament are designed to remind us that God is
worthy to be trusted—even in this!” (Vroegop, p.79).
“Lament leads to trust, but the path is not always clear or
straightforward. By turning to prayer,
laying out our complaints, and boldly asking, we are brought by God to a place
of growing trust in him” (Vroegop, p.84).
“Whatever you do, don’t stop making this turn toward
trust. Learn to live in the tension of
pain beyond belief and divine sovereignty beyond comprehension by stepping into
trust” (Vroegop, p.84).
“Tear-filled prayers, wrestling through tough questions, and
banking my life on the promises of God are all part of the journey to keep me
trusting. Learning to lament leads to
trust” (Vroegop, p.85).
“Through turning to God in prayer, laying out our
complaints, and asking boldly for God’s help, we are led to place our trust in
a God who cares for us and hears us” (Vroegop, p.85).
“Learning to lament gives us the grace to keep trusting” (Vroegop,
p.85).
“In lament we affirm what we believe…In our fear and
confusion, lament leads us back to what we know to be true: ‘Despite what I see, despite what I feel, God
is good.’ Lament helps us to interpret
pain through the lens of God’s character and his ultimate mercy…Lament is the
language that moves us from our sorrow toward the truth of God’s promises” (Vroegop,
p.119).
“When brokenness becomes your life, lament helps you to turn
to God. It lifts your head and turns
your tear-filled eyes toward the only hope you have: God’s grace” (Vroegop, p.142).
Don't stop trusting God in the midst of your suffering! Turn to Him in lament, and let him help you start trusting again!
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