Emotional: Restoring Biblical Lament

I have written previously about my cousin Josh and his pastoral series. He is over in Brentwood, TN at New Hope Community Church. I love this series. There is so much I want to write about with his series, and I just haven't had time to take notes on them as much as I have wanted to. So I am setting up a "master" post, so as I have time, I can go ahead and take notes on each sermon in this series.

 

#1 GOD WANTS OUR HONESTY:  More to come

#2 ANXIETY TO PEACE: More to come

#3 DEPRESSION TO JOY: More to come

#4 GRIEF TO COMFORT: Link to come

Comfort happens in the midst of grief. Can you just SIT with someone in their grief? Romans 12: 9-21 is where Paul writes about the marks of a true Christian, and he encourages us to "let love be genuine."  Romans 12:15 tells us to "rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those that weep." You notice it doesn't say "fix the situation." LEAN INTO THAT. I lvoe that statement. Grief doesn't go according to plan. It is all over the map.

Grief doesn't have to be the loss of a loved one. It can be the loss of a dream. It can be the loss of time. There is grief in that. It can be the loss of a friendship.

“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”-- Jamie Anderson

Psalm 147:3 " He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." But remember. If your wound needed a bandage, it probably has a scar. 

Remember when Jesus goes to the tomb of Lazarus? If the Messiah who came into this world is able to weep with us? And show us how it is done? Then there are just times that we need to weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn. Let them get it out.  

John 14: 1 "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you .... that where I am, you may be also."

1. Don't be afraid to cry; don't apologize for your grief

2. Share your grief; tell people about it! Tell them about your dreams don't come true. Don't bury it. Share it!

3. If it is still in your heart and it is in your mind, it needs to come out!