Lament!: Why You Need To Learn To Cry Again?
The Need for Lament
I was walking to a meeting the other day and musing over a personal and painful situation. I began to think about Jesus, emotional pain, and my various church traditions.
I thought about Jesus weeping, a phenomenal verse for many reasons. It is amazing that Jesus took time to feel, experience, and express emotional pain—his own pain as well as the pain of others.
Jesus Wept (John 11:35)
Now, the context of this, of course, is the death of Lazarus, and if you know the story (John 11:1- 44), the fact that He cried is all the more amazing. Jesus deliberately waited two more days after receiving the report that his friend was ill, and his presence was requested so that He could heal him. Jesus waited until his friend died, knowing full well He had the power to raise Him from the dead.
Yet, Jesus possessing power did not short-circuit His feelings but processed His pain and publicly cried. He lamented. I’ve passed through several church traditions, the Pentecostal/Charismatic being one of them. This tradition greatly values supernatural power, and if Pentecostal believers were at the scene, it’s doubtful they would have processed pain or cry. More than likely, they would say, “Why are you crying…stand back and watch the power of our God – Lazarus, Come Forth!” Then afterwards, say, “See what the Lord has done”!
What is more, Jesus didn’t only have the power of God, but He also had the wisdom and perspective of God and believed in it. He told Mary that her brother’s death was for God’s glory and His revelation as Resurrection and Life. I have been a part of traditions where biblical knowledge is the highest virtue. If someone from that tradition were on the scene, they might say, “Why are you crying? Don’t you know …….., or don’t you believe ……..”? Yet, even though Jesus knew the right thing, believed God`s word on the matter and wanted others to know as well (John 11:25), He still took time to feel and to cry.
In this story, Jesus taught me to sit with pain longer than I am accustomed to and longer than my traditions had inadvertently taught me. I am challenged to be patient with the pain of others and not to rush them to power or knowledge immediately. I am guilty of this, and I am repenting of it.
The Lord challenges me not to barrel and blast through my pain with charismatic zeal, nor should I shut up my emotions just because I believe what is true and written in scripture.
Most of us fall into one of these two camps: prioritising power or knowledge. However, Jesus, as God in the flesh, gives us a surprising alternative.
Lament. Sit with your pain. Sit with your pain in the presence of God, and then walk in His power and wisdom after you cry a bit.
