“I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.” Psalm 142:1-2 (NIV)

A few years ago, we had to replace some old windows in our house and decided to add a new window to brighten a dark room.

As soon as the installer cut through the wall, daylight poured in. I kept out of his way while he worked but couldn’t wait to see the finished product. At day’s end, he said he’d return in the morning to replace the other windows.

Racing into the room to enjoy my new view, I immediately felt sick. The window was in, but the wall was full of gaps and holes. Who would we hire, and how much would it cost, to repair all the damage?

I spiraled. But it wasn’t really about the window. That one mess brought to mind all the other messes and disappointments in my life and the lives of my loved ones.

So I did what I knew to do. Like the psalmists in Scripture, I poured out my heartfelt lament to God, offering my frustration, anger and fear. I pleaded with Him to be the God I know Him to be. I begged Him to show His faithfulness and intervene on behalf of those crying out to Him. How long, Lord? Why? Where are You?

“I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble” (Psalm 142:1-2).

The next morning, the installer returned. Instead of beginning work on the other windows, he spackled, sanded and repaired all the cracks around the new one, leaving only a small portion of the wall that would need to be painted.

As I stood in front of the new window that night, I felt as though the Lord addressed me with three penetrating words: Let Me finish.

Those simple words quieted me with loving authority and conviction and provided a place for me to find rest again in the faithfulness of God.

This is the invitation of lament. God calls us to pour out our courageous, honest, heartfelt pleas for Him to reveal His goodness, power and love. In lament, we plead for the Kingdom of God to come. And while we wait for God to finish His work, we remember who He is and what He has done in the past so that we can trust Him now in the silence, hiddenness and sorrow.

In the waiting, we practice remembering.
In the waiting, we practice hope.
And in the waiting, we discover again that God is with us and for us — in everything.

Lord, give me the courage to tell You where I’m hurting. Help me to be honest with You about my fears, sorrows, disappointments and confusion. Keep me in hope as I wait for You to reveal Your faithfulness to me and to the ones I love. May I trust Your unfailing love, even when I don’t understand Your ways. Let Your Kingdom come, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Sharon Garlough Brown, bestselling author of the Sensible Shoes series and Shades of Light series, has recently released a children’s picture book called Not Finished Yet: Trusting God with All My Feelings. It’s a story that invites children, and the grown-ups who love them, to practice offering God all our feelings, even our anger and disappointment with Him. The back of the book features a full-page note from Sharon about the spiritual discipline of lament. Get your copy today!

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Sharon travels internationally to lead retreats. For more details about her books and events, connect with Sharon on her website!

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FOR DEEPER STUDY

Psalm 77:1-2, “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted” (NIV).

Psalm 77 voices some experiences and questions we might not think we’re allowed to speak to God. Read the psalm slowly. What might you feel reluctant to say to God? Why?

Practice offering the Lord your honest thoughts and feelings. How might this practice deepen your trust in Him?

© 2024 by Sharon Garlough Brown. All rights reserved.

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