Learning to Lament

"Lament is a cry of belief in a good God, a God who has His ear to our hearts, a God who transfigures the ugly into beauty.  Complaint is the bitter howl of unbelief in any benevolent God in this moment, a distrust in the love-beat of the Father's heart."

-Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

Let's compare and contrast a complaint from the Bible with a lament from the Bible. The Israelites started out well but their cry to the Lord quickly evaporated into complaint.

" . . . They cried out to the LORD.

"Then they turned against Moses and complained,'Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? 
Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt?
Why did you make us leave?
Didn't we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt?
Out Egyptian slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!'"
Exodus 14:11-12
The Israelites as they were trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea

     Note the Israelites immediately blamed someone nearby - they turned against Moses. Blaming and divisiveness signal complaint. They became sarcastic and spit out "told you so's" and recriminations. They even lied to themselves by painting their days of slavery as the good old days. They asked "Why? Why? Why?"  but assume there's no answer. Once they cried out to the Lord, they forgot Him, His power, the ten plagues, their exit from Egypt and how God preserved their own firstborn sons when the Death Angel made his rounds. They were newly freed but still living as slaves to sight, sound and circumstances. 

     Read David's lament below and see how differently the Shepherd King expressed his dismay and fear at being surrounded by the enemy.  He left anger to his enemies and plans to his God. He poured out one-third concern mixed with two-thirds faith. He declared Truth, not lies. He pled for Justice and mercy from the Eternal Judge who delights in showing mercy to those to trust Him. 

"Though I am surrounded by troubles,

You will preserve me against the anger of my enemies.

You will clench Your fist against my angry enemies!

Your power will save me.

The LORD will work out His plans for my life--

for Your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.

Don't abandon me, for You made me."

Psalm 138:7-8 (NLT)

A Psalm of David

     Complaining leaves God out; lamenting places God front and center where He belongs regardless of our circumstances.

Lord, God, we're a complaining people, filled with fear, unrest and whining, spewing blame and divisiveness. Forgive us for leaving You out of the picture. We act as though we're newly freed instead of old friends You've carried up and down many paths. God, help us be people after Your own heart - ready to turn to You, call to You and stick around to listen to Your answers.  Open our minds to trust You completely.  Close our mouths to complaining to others. Teach us to lament in faith.

In the Name of Jesus