Theme of the Week: Brokenness Is Real
Bible Verse: “When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints.” Psalm 77:3, ESV
Scripture Reading: Psalm 77:1-20
Every human is broken – including you. But being broken does not mean we are without hope. God has given us ways to address the brokenness we encounter in our lives and the world around us.
One of the great gifts God has given to deal with our brokenness is prayers of lament. Very few of us have learned how to lament well or see this as a part of the Christian life.
In his book, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Mark Vroegop defines lament as “a prayer in pain that leads to trust. It is a path to praise as we are led through our brokenness and disappointment. Think of lament as the transition between pain and promise. It is the path from heartbreak to hope.”
“In the address, the heart is turned to God in prayer. Complaint clearly and bluntly lays out the reasons behind the sorrow. From there, the lamenter usually makes a request for God to act – to do something. Finally, nearly every lament ends with renewed trust and praise.”
Lament is an invitation to pray from your pain and brokenness in very honest and real language. It does not leave you in this state of hopelessness. It always helps your heart and mind step out of your present circumstances to see the eternal, all-powerful, all-wise God who loves you deeply. It is not a formula to change your circumstances; it is a journey to heal your heart.
Lament is not a one and done prayer. It is a gift from God to come back to whenever confronted or overwhelmed by brokenness in the world or your own life.
Mark Vroegop describes his own experience of the death of his daughter and the journey he experienced through lament to find hope and healing in an interview for our podcast. Listen here: impactus.org/podcast/ep-06-the-gift-of-lament-when-life-is-hard.
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