Feb 18

Feb 18 Learning to Lament Part 3: Pray Scripture

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

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me.

Psalm 139:23–24 CSB

After honestly addressing pain with God and searching Scripture for truth, the third movement of lament involves praying Scripture. We can borrow the prayers, questions, and promises found in the Bible to anchor our grieving hearts in what is true. Significantly, most lament Psalms end with praise.

A powerful place to start is Psalm 139:23–24. Praying this invites the Lord to shape you and reminds you that He planned every day of your life before you were born.

Lamentations offers a model for bringing sorrow, questions, and sin honestly before God. In 1 Samuel, Hannah’s lament over infertility shows a woman who poured out her anguish and then walked away trusting His plan.

The biblical pattern of lament, as detailed in Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, follows a four part pattern: turn, complain, ask, trust. This flow is reflected in many scriptural prayers.

As you pray Scripture, you may relate to Jeremiah, who wavered between confidence and uncertainty (Jeremiah 32). If you must repeat the cycle of lament many times, do so without shame. Pain often resurfaces, requiring us to bring it to God again. Each time we deliberately speak the truth about God’s character and faithfulness, we move closer to peace. Scripture is full of examples of people who journeyed from turmoil to peace—and sometimes back again.

Keep praying the Scriptures, asking God to embed His Word deep within your heart and remind you of His plan for you, your loved ones, and His kingdom. We may need to surrender to His purposes repeatedly, and in doing so, our faith grows.

Finally, notice that many biblical laments include gratitude. As we thank God for who He is and what He has done, our focus shifts. We begin to see all He has been to us and all He has carried us through, moving us toward a posture of ultimate trust.

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.