I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might,
I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens.
God, are you avoiding me? Where are you when I need you?
Long enough, God—you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough. Long enough I’ve carried this ton of trouble, lived with a stomach full of pain.
Heart-wrenching pangs of emotions from … you may have guessed it… the Psalms, as paraphrased in The Message. Perhaps these quote versions are more familiar:
Ps 77:1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.
Ps 10:1 Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Ps 13.1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
Recently I learned that one third of the Psalms are laments! What is a “lament psalm” you might ask? It is a healthy way to cry out to God about what’s happening in life that may not be to your liking. Consider Job. He went through a lot of pain and suffering; he didn’t blame it on anyone, not even himself. But he did have a few things to say to God. And in the end, Job declared, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted” (42:1).
If something is happening in your life and you don’t like it, take it up with God! He has the power to change it – or to change you.
Two helpful articles, listed below, discuss the four basic elements of a lament: 1) turn to God and tell Him about your pain; 2) complain (He can take it!); 3) ask boldly for help; and finally, 4) choose to trust God. As the song Trust His Heart so poignantly says it, “When you can’t understand His hand, trust His heart.”
The 4 Basics of Lament
Dare To Hope in God
