Going in Grace

In this episode of Going in Grace, Dr. Brandi Stover explores the often misunderstood concept of lamentation. She emphasizes that lament is not a sign of weakness or faithlessness, but a sacred practice of bringing our pain and grief before God. Through scripture, particularly the book of Lamentations and various Psalms, Brandi illustrates how lament serves as a pathway to emotional honesty and spiritual anchoring. She encourages listeners to embrace lament as a means of processing grief and maintaining faith, highlighting that God is always present in our sorrow.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Lamentation: A Sacred Practice
02:57 The Role of Lament in Scripture
05:53 Lament: A Pathway to Healing and Trust

What is Going in Grace?

Welcome to Going in Grace, a podcast where we go beyond simply understanding God's Word—we explore how to live it out daily, making a meaningful impact in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Welcome back to Going in Grace the podcast. Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s often misunderstood, overlooked, or avoided altogether—lamentation.

Lament isn’t weakness. It’s not complaining. It’s not faithlessness. Lament is a sacred, biblical practice of bringing our pain, grief, and confusion before God. It’s how we process sorrow without losing hope. It’s how we stay honest without becoming bitter.

Let’s explore what lamentation is, where we find it in Scripture, and how it can transform our walk with God. Lamentation is the act of expressing sorrow, grief, or mourning—especially in prayer. It’s not just venting emotions. It’s directing those emotions toward God.

The Bible doesn’t shy away from lament. In fact, it gives us an entire book called Lamentations, written by the prophet Jeremiah. It’s a raw, poetic outcry over the destruction of Jerusalem. Lament is also woven throughout the Psalms. In fact, more than a third of the Psalms are considered laments. David, Asaph, and others poured out their anguish to God—not to themselves, not to social media, not to gossip—but to God.

Psalm 13:1–2 (NKJV):
"How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?"

That’s lament. Honest. Unfiltered. Directed toward heaven.

Here are some key places where lament shows up:
• Lamentations – A full book of poetic grief over Jerusalem’s fall.
• Psalms – Especially Psalms 6, 13, 22, 42, 77, and 88.
• Job – A man who lost everything and wrestled deeply with God.
• Jeremiah – Known as the “weeping prophet,” he lamented often.
• Habakkuk – A prophet who questioned God’s justice and timing.
• Jesus Himself – In the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross.

Matthew 27:46 (NKJV):
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'"

Even Jesus lamented. Lament has a holy place in our walk with God. It’s how we stay emotionally honest while spiritually anchored. It’s how we process grief without losing faith.

Psalm 34:18 (NKJV):
"The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit."
Lament invites God into our pain. It’s not a detour from faith—it’s a deepening of it.
Here’s the key: lament is not self-pity. It’s not spiraling. It’s not rehearsing pain without hope. Biblical lament always includes:

1. Turning to God
You direct your sorrow toward Him.

2. Bringing Your Complaint Honestly
You name what hurts, what confuses, what feels unfair.

3. Asking Boldly
You ask for help, healing, justice, or clarity.

4. Choosing to Trust
You end with faith—even if it’s fragile.

Psalm 42:11 (NKJV):
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God."

Lament doesn’t ignore pain—it walks through it with God.

When we don’t lament, we internalize. We suppress. We isolate. And that’s dangerous. Unprocessed grief can turn into bitterness, cynicism, or emotional numbness. It can distort our view of God and others.

Hebrews 12:15 (NKJV):
"Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled."

God can handle our pain. He can handle our questions. He can handle our tears.

1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV):
"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Don’t carry it alone. Don’t fake it. Don’t bury it. Lament it—with Him.

If you’re grieving, confused, or hurting—God is not intimidated by your emotions. He’s not offended by your questions. He’s not distant from your pain.

Isaiah 53:3 (NKJV):
"He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him."

Jesus knows sorrow. He knows lament. And He meets us in it.

So today, I invite you to lament. Not as a complainer. Not as a victim. But as a child of God who trusts Him enough to bring your whole heart—broken pieces and all. Until next time, may you find healing in honest lament. God is near. And He can handle you.

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