Scarlette Jasper
Field Personnel in Corbin, Kentucky
Psalm 42:9-11a
”I say to God my Rock,
‘Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?’
My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
‘Where is your God?’
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?”
Lament, while seemingly negative, can actually be a source of blessing. It allows for the expression of pain, grief and doubt, leading to a deeper understanding of oneself and a stronger relationship with God. By acknowledging our vulnerabilities and trusting in God’s strength, we can move from despair to hope and find renewed faith.
Lament can be a blessing.
Lament provides a space to express our feelings of hurt, anger and frustration without judgment. It’s a way to communicate our needs and seek God’s help and comfort. By acknowledging our limitations and expressing our vulnerabilities, we can learn to trust God more fully. This process helps us to understand God’s grace, love and faithfulness. The process of lament can lead to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our relationship with God. It can help us see the world from a new perspective and grow in our faith.
Lament is not just an end in itself; it can pave the way for hope and praise.
By expressing our pain, we can move towards a renewed sense of hope and trust in God’s plan. When we bring our grief to God, we become more aware of the suffering of others and are more likely to listen to their pain with empathy and compassion.
In essence, lament is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and healing, allowing us to navigate difficult times with grace and peace.
Blessing: Psalm 42
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.