Lament and Mourn and Weep...

Hi friends,

There are a lot of really heavy things going on in the world at the moment aren't there? Whether it's the situation in Afghanistan, the earthquake in Haiti, the ongoing effects of Covid, let alone the personal challenges and tragedies many people face on a daily basis, it is often difficult to process. The writers of Scripture don't shy away from these realities and they show us ways in which we can follow God faithfully in amongst the pain and trauma, bringing the heaviness of our emotions to the Lord.

One of the gifts given to us in Scripture are the Psalms, which show us how to talk to God in any and every situation. In the Psalms, there are a remarkable amount of lament Psalms (over a third of the Psalter fit into this category). In these verses we find David and others pouring out their pain, trouble, complaint, and anger to God, trusting that he will hear and answer. These writers knew that it is unhealthy to bottle up painful emotions and put on a brave face, pretending that everything is fine. They instead wrote about their feelings in a lot of detail, but always in the context of a prayerful relationship with God.

The verse that I have journaled on this page is actually not from the Psalms but from the New Testament - James 4:9 (NRSV). In this passage of James, the writer is not addressing those who are suffering from tragedy, but those who are living in sin. He counsels them that the most appropriate response to recognising sin in your life is to humble yourself and lament, mourn, and weep for the ways in which you have disobeyed and grieved the Lord. This is quite sobering isn't it? How often do we respond like this when we are confronted with sin in our lives? It is much easier to brush it off, say a quick "Sorry Lord!" and carry on with life. But James highlights the seriousness of sin and its effects on our relationship with God and those around us. We should be grieved when our attitudes and actions violate God's word. What a challenge for us to consider today!

I created a background on this page using acrylic paints, then added some gelatos and blended with my finger to create a few more shades of colour. The words were stamped using Ellis Square Alpha and Art Deco Alpha, and the leaves, which I coloured with coloured pencils, are from Botanical Branches.

Whether we are facing loss, confusion, anger, or remorse for sin, we can come to God in lament, knowing that he hears our cries and dries our tears. He comforts, consoles and accepts us even at our darkest hours.

Be blessed...

x Amy x