Feb 17

Feb 17 Learning to Lament Part 2: Search Scripture

Adversity, Faith/Trust, God's Will, Grief, Lament, Hope

But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.

Psalm 13:5 CSB

In lamenting, after naming your pain and honestly telling God how you feel about difficult or disappointing life experiences, the next step is anchoring yourself in Scripture. Our feelings are real and must be acknowledged, but Truth always steadies us more than emotion ever can. To do this well, we must know God’s Word and apply it.

Reading the Psalms of lament—especially those that mirror what we’re experiencing—reminds us that we’re not alone. Others have wrestled, questioned, and grieved just as deeply. In almost every lament, the writer returns to a firm declaration: But You are God, and I will trust You. Sit with Psalm 13 and let its truth settle into the deepest parts of your heart. We do have an enemy who longs to keep us bound to disappointment and unmet expectations, but God leads us into freedom.

Passages such as Romans 8:28–30, Job 42:1–6, Psalm 90:14–17, and entire books like Lamentations and Ecclesiastes, help us learn how to walk in truth after honestly pouring out our hearts before the Lord.

One thing becomes clear: God is sovereign, and we are not. Even when a deeply held dream seems to be dying, we can trust His plan over our own.

My pastor once said, “The greatest gift in my life may be the death of a dream.” Why? Because even if God allows us to dream, He alone knows what outcome will ultimately be best for everyone involved—and what will bring Him the most glory.

So we cry out. We search Scripture. In doing so, we find comfort, strength, and renewed faith. We stand on what we know is true, even when feelings pull us in the opposite direction. And yes—sometimes this means repeating the process again and again.

The enemy of our souls longs to drain us of hope. But we follow Jesus Christ—our living Hope, who never fails.

Chris Adams

Chris Adams

Chris Adams is an author, speaker, blogger, and women’s ministry consultant. She retired in 2017 after serving over 22 years as the Women’s Ministry Specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, Tennessee. Chris helped pioneer women’s ministry as we know it today and compiled three women’s leadership books: Women Reaching Women, Transformed Lives, and Women Reaching Women in Crisis.

Prior to her employment at LifeWay she was the special ministries coordinator at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas overseeing women’s ministry and missions education.

For fun you can find Chris reading, spending time with family or at the beach. She married Pat in 1971 and they have twin daughters, two sons in law, 14 grandchildren, and 5 great grands. She recently became a Yorkie mom again for the third time. A self-proclaimed chocolate connoisseur, Chris is famous for her toffee.