'I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.' (Psalm 142:2)
Lament is almost a 'no-go' zone in church. We Adore, Confess, Thank, Intercede - but we hardly ever lament. It is as if we think God can't handle our whinging and whining. But lament has a long and 'proud' history in the bible. Job, David, the prophets - all of them were more than willing to tell God what they thought of him and his apparent inaction.
God can handle our truth. God can handle the facts of our lives - our disappointments, depressions and disasters. As we pour out our complaints, we do not do so to an empty heaven, but to a loving God who cares. In fact, its not too much of a stretch to suggest that lament is perhaps the most faith-filled prayer we can offer. We offer such prayer to God in, because and despite desperate circumstances, when the easier road is to dismiss God's existence all together.
Prayer
Lord, you can handle my whinging, my whining. May I be faith-filled enough to offer it to you.
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